Dordrecht - History

51°48N 4°39E, pop (2000e) 117 000. River port and industrial city in S South Holland province, W Netherlands, 19 km/12 mi SE of Rotterdam; founded, 1008; Synod of Dort (meeting of the Reformed churches), 1618–19; railway; shipbuilding, engineering, chemicals; Grote Kerk (14th–16th-c).

Dordrecht (population 119,649 (2004)) , or in English: Dort, is a city in the Dutch province of South Holland, the third largest city of the province. At this junction, Dordrecht is facing the cities of Papendrecht and Zwijndrecht.

The name Dordrecht comes from Thuredrith, an inhabitable spot near the river Thure.

The municipality covers the Dordrecht Island, on the northwest of which the city is located.

During Carnaval, Dordrecht is called Ooi- en Ramsgat (Ewe's and Ram's hole), and its inhabitants are Schapenkoppen (Sheepheads).

Inhabitants of Dordrecht are Dordtenaren (singular: Dordtenaar).

Places of interest:

river quay and Groothoofds Gate Onze lieve vrouwe Kerk (Our lady's Church) or Grote Kerk (Big Church) with uncompleted tower canals merchant houses

Public transport

Part of HTM is SVD, the city bus company of Dordrecht, also serving Werkendam, and also operating the Kop van 't Land ferry on the way. Fast Ferry: Rotterdam Willemskade - Krimpen aan den IJssel Stormpolder - Ridderkerk De Schans - Alblasserdam Kade - Dordrecht Merwekade. Waterbus: Dordrecht Hooikade - Zwijndrecht Veerplein - Dordrecht Merwekade - Papendrecht Veerdam - Papendrecht Oosteind - Hollandse Biesbosch - Sliedrecht Middeldiep

History

Dordrecht received city rights in 1220, making it the oldest city in present-day Holland.

In 1572, representants of all cities from Holland gathered in Dordrecht to declare their independence of Spain and acknowledge William of Orange as the leader of the fledgling Dutch state. In 1618/1619, an important religious meeting took place, called the synod of Dordrecht, deciding between two main factions in the Dutch reformed church, and planning for the Statenvertaling, the first Dutch Bible translation. In the 18th century, the importance of Dordrecht started to diminish, and Rotterdam became the main city in the region.