The OudeKerk dates back to 1246 and, justifying its name, is the oldest church in Delft. There are 4 hundred residents of Delft buried in it, the most famous of whom are the artist Jan Vermeer and the inventor of the Leeuwenhoek microscope. A characteristic feature of Oudekerk is the leaning tower. The reason for the fall is the same as in Pisa - subsidence of the soil. moreover, the soils in Delft are more difficult than in Pisa due to the abundance of canals and rivers. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the OudeKerk bell tower was preserved. The last strengthening of the 75-meter bell tower with a clock ended in 2018. For now, the people of Delft can sleep peacefully...

The Netherlands is truly a remarkable country, rich in culture and history, where every city has something for the adept traveller to explore. Ever since Proust proclaimed his View of Delft  "the most beautiful painting in the world," art lovers worldwide have been enraptured by this spellbinding work. Delft is a quaint Dutch city of about 100,000 people, due south from Amsterdam and Den Haag which in the 13th century became a renowned centre of printing, pottery and, by the early 17th century, fine art. In the old city quarter, the pivotal points of Vermeer’s life are concentrated around the marketplace. His father owned a Tavern, the Mechelen, in Voldersgracht which historians claim to be the area that inspired his exquisite painting 'the Little Street ' The guildhall, Voldersgracht 21, was the home of the guild of Saint Luke, where Vermeer, following in his father’s footsteps, joined as a member in 1653. A simple plaque marks the grave of Johannes Vermeer in the historic and beautiful Gothic Oude Kerk and this is an appropriate place to pause and reflect on the life of the Master of Light.

We enjoyed our visit here. Lots of great stained glass. The guide is quite good on the history and who is featured. Vermeil has 2 sites, he was broke and not famous when he died, and buried in one spot. After he became famous, they made another much more prominent stone for him in a different location. We did the combo ticket with the new church which was nearby