Delft's older church, visibly out of plumb, holding the burials of Vermeer, Piet Hein and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
The tower leans about two metres off vertical because it was built on the filled bed of a canal, and once you have noticed it from the Oude Delft you cannot stop noticing it. Inside, three of the more consequential people ever to live in this town are buried under the floor: the painter, the admiral and the man who first saw bacteria. Vermeer's slab is modest and easy to walk past, which is somehow the right note.
Highlights
- A tower two metres off vertical
- Vermeer's grave
- Van Leeuwenhoek and Piet Hein buried here
Insider tips
- →The lean reads best from the Oude Delft canal bank, not from the churchyard.
- →Your Nieuwe Kerk ticket already includes this, so do not buy twice.
FAQ
Do I need to book Oude Kerk ahead?
Is this a good first-time visitor choice?
Where you'll find it
Delft, Netherlands
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