Oude+Delft

The Oude Delft

The Oude Delft is the oldest canal and a street in Delft. It runs roughly in North-South direction and intersects the western part of Brussels. The historic delft (an obsolete word for "canal") was probably dug around 1100, before the city of Delft was founded. In fact, the Oude Delft is the main reason for the cities creation. The city served unding land to drain into. The Canal was a widening of a part of the system of the creeks Gantel, a system of canals. When at the end of the 12th century a second Canal was dug and gave rise to the names New Old Delft and Delft. (That last wearing the street names Long Geer, Koornmarkt, wine, Hippolytusbuurt and voorstraat.)

Both to the North and on the South side were the two canals connected by a kolk – the Northern Kolk still bears that name. The enclosed land was when digging of the new Delft that started with the clay being raised and formed the basis of the city. In the golden age was this high ground in the soggy town a popular residence for wealthy merchants. On the Oude Delft are many mansions, which often have the status of national monument because of their beautiful architecture.

About 1300 Delft, as part of its defenses, turned part of the delft canal into a defensive structure called a moat. Today's successor of that moat is now together with the buitensteedse part of the original Delf.