The city of Delft is one of the oldest and most historically important cities in the Netherlands. It was founded in the 11th century and developed around a canal (“Delft” means *dug canal”), which became a key trading route between the River Maas and the North Sea.
Delft played a central role in the birth of the Dutch Republic. In the 16th century it became the residence of William of Orange, leader of the Dutch independence movement. He was assassinated in Delft in 1584 and is buried in the Nieuwe Kerk, which remains the burial place of the Dutch royal family.
During the Dutch Golden Age, Delft became a centre of science, art and craftsmanship. It was the home of Johannes Vermeer and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, pioneers in painting and microscopy. Today, this scientific tradition continues through Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), which connects the city’s heritage to cutting-edge engineering, high-tech and semiconductor research.
Delft is also very much a student city. With more than 25,000 students, nearly a quarter of the city’s population is connected to the university. This gives Delft a lively, international and innovative atmosphere, where historic streets and canals are filled with students, cafés, start-ups and engineering projects.
Fun Facts about Delft & its students
Delft is one of the smallest university cities in Europe, yet it hosts one of the world’s top engineering universities.
Students in Delft do not only study — they build solar cars, race cars, drones, satellites and even quantum devices as part of their education.
There are more bicycles than residents, and most students commute to lectures by bike, even in winter.
The city has more than 30 student associations, ranging from traditional societies to innovation hubs and robotics clubs.
Many Dutch and international start-ups in robotics, AI, energy and semiconductors were founded by TU Delft students.
Delft’s cafés and historic market square are famous for being full of students discussing projects, exams and new ideas late into the evening.
Because of the large international student community, Delft is one of the most globally connected small cities in the Netherlands.
