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to Rotterdam. DORDRECHT. 58. Route. 457
Cafés. Café Central, ‘plat du jour’ 60c., good; Café Zahn, both in the
Scheffers-Plein. — drecht sche Melk-Inrichting, Vischsitraat, at the corner
of the Lange Breestraat, clean and good.
Post & Telegraph Office (Pl. D, 3), in the Bagynhof.
pBcokacH ere: Morks & Geuze, Vischstraat 13; Blaslé van Braam, Scheffers-
Plein 212.
Tramway from the station through the town (Scheffers-Plein) to the
Groot-Hoofd (7/2 ¢.), conveying luggage not over 66 lbs. in weight.
Steamboats, starti at the Groothoofd (Pl. D, 41; p. 408). Local
amer to Rotterdam (fares 45 or 80c.). Steamer of the Netherlands Steam-
p Co. to Rotierdam, and upstream to Ziel, Nymuwegen, and Cologne, see
», 443.
British Vice-Consul, J. J. Vriesendorp.
Principal Attractions (1/2 day). Walk through the old streets; Groote
Kerk; views of the Groothoofd; Dordrecht Museum.
Dordrecht, usually called Dordt or Dort by the Dutch, is a
clean-looking town with 45,700 inhab., ship-building yards, and
considerable timber-trade, picturesquely situated upon an island
surrounded by the Merwede (p.452), which admits sea-going vessels
of heavy tonnage, the Oude Maas, and the Dordtsche Kil (p. 207).
In the middle ages the town was the wealthiest commercial city in
Holland. In 1572 the first assembly of the independent states of
Holland was held here. From Nov. 43th, 1648, till May 9th, 1619,
the famous Synod of Dort held its meetings here, which were
attended also by deputies from England and Scotland. The synod
was convened with a view to effect a compromise between the Ar-
minians (or Remonstrants), who were supported by Oldenbarnevelt,
Grotius, and other leaders of the republican party, and the austere
Gomarists (or Calvinists), on whose side stood Maurice of Orange.
The result was a victory for the latter (comp. p. 329). The older
rts of Dort, with their quaint old houses and picturesque canals,
tain all the characteristics of an old Dutch town.
On leaving the station we follow the tramway via the Johan
de Witt Straat, crossing the Spuihaven, and then via the Bagynhof,
with the new Post Office (Pl. D, 3) and the Vischstraat to the
(10 min.) picturesque Oude Haven (Pl. O, 3), the principal canal.
3eyond the bridge, at the Groenmarkt, the tramway turns to the
right into the Wynstraat (p. 458), while the turning to the left leads
past the Stadhuis (Pl. 5; 0, 3), rebuilt in 1835, to the —
Groote Kerk (Pl. B, ©, 3; Onze Lieve Vrouw). The Gothic
church (now under restoration) dates from the 14th cent., the choir
from the 15th, and has a handsome tower, 230 ft. in height. We
enter onthe W. side, at Groote Kerks Plein 6, through the sacristan’s
house (fee 25 ¢.). The interior, which is 106 yds. long (nave 88 ft.
high), rests on 56 pillars, and, though bare, produces an imposing
effect. The marble pulpit dates from 1759. A fine brazen screen of
4743 separates the choir from the nave. The fine old carved *Choir
Stalls, executed by Jan Terwen Aertsz in the Renaissance style in
1538-42, are the most important work of the kind in Holland. The
sadly mutilated representations on the backs of the stalls illustrate |