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72-524: The Biesbosch National Park consists of the following major parts: The most northern part of the Biesbosch. This is the part of the Biesbosch with the most significant tidal influence (one of the distinctive characteristics of the Biesbosch). The Sliedrechtse Biesbosch is named after the town of Sliedrecht , which was drowned during the creation of the Biesbosch and was later rebuilt on the other side of

144-448: A couple of days before being allowed to sail on. This caused loss of time and caused products to become rotten. Another explanation is derived from Bommel is rommel, bij Tiel is niet viel en hoe dichter bij Dordt hoe rotter het wordt which is supposed to be said by farmers describing the bad quality of the land close to the rivers Maas and Waal , only suitable for harvesting reed . The Sliedrechtse Biesbosch, east of Dordrecht, and

216-572: A few movies are based on this resistance group. Before 1970 a connection with the sea existed, and the tidal differences were, on average, two meters. Despite the diminished inflow of the Meuse and Waal rivers, fresh water continued to dominate. The tidal differences almost disappeared after 1970 when the Delta Works closed the Haringvliet and with it the Biesbosch's direct connection with

288-516: A ford, but this was rejected in 1996. The Drecht is now supposed to have been derived from ' draeg ', which means to pull, tow or drag. Inhabitants of Dordrecht are Dordtenaren (singular: Dordtenaar ). Dordrecht is informally called Dordt by its inhabitants. In earlier centuries, Dordrecht was a major trading port and was called Dort in English. The city was formed along the Thure river , in

360-426: A list of the festivals in the city Dordrecht: Dordrecht Festivals During Carnaval , Dordrecht is called Ooi- en Ramsgat (Ewe's and Ram's hole), and its inhabitants are Schapenkoppen (Sheepheads). This name originates from an old folk story. Import of meat or cattle was taxed in the 17th century. To avoid having to pay, two men dressed up a sheep they had bought outside the city walls, attempting to disguise it as

432-433: A man. The sheep was discovered because it bleated as the three men (two men and one sheep) passed through the city wall gate. There is a special monument of a man and his son trying to hold a sheep disguised as a man between them, that refers to this legend. The logo of Dordrecht's professional football club FC Dordrecht includes the head of a ram and its supporters are known to sing Wij zijn de Dordtse schapenkoppen (we are

504-544: A meeting of the States of Holland . During the meeting, the organization and financing of the rebellion against the Spanish occupation was discussed, Phillip II was unanimously denounced, and William of Orange was chosen as the rightful stadtholder and recognized as the official leader of the revolt. Orange, represented at the meeting by his assistant Philips of Marnix , was promised financial support of his struggle against

576-581: A new Dutch translation of the Bible, a catechism, and the censorship of books. The synod then called upon representatives of the Remonstrants to express their beliefs. The Remonstrants refused to accept the rules established by the synod and eventually were expelled from the church. The synod then studied the theology of the Remonstrants and declared that it was contrary to Scripture. The Canons of Dort were produced; they discussed in detail in five sections

648-646: A population of 119,115. The municipality covers the entire Dordrecht Island, also often called Het Eiland van Dordt ("the Island of Dordt"), bordered by the rivers Oude Maas , Beneden Merwede , Nieuwe Merwede , Hollands Diep , and Dordtsche Kil . Dordrecht is the largest and most important city in the Drechtsteden and is also part of the Randstad , the main conurbation in the Netherlands. Dordrecht

720-648: A result of the influx of salty water. One should note the fact that in times of severe floods coming from the North Sea , the dam will still be able to close and serve in a similar way as the Oosterscheldekering . The partial opening of the Haringvlietdam will create an opportunity for migrating fish to enter the Rhine and Meuse rivers, restoring the natural situation. This will hopefully result in

792-668: A sugar refinery, e.g. the imposing Sugar Refinery Stokholm . Overall, the economic importance of Dordrecht began to wane in the 18th century, and Rotterdam became the main city in the region. From 1780 to 1787, Dordrecht was home to the Patriots faction which intended to remove the hereditary Stadtholder position held by the House of Orange-Nassau . The Netherlands was after all a republic de jure . Soon after, more cities followed and William V fled from Holland. But his brother-in-law, King Frederick William II of Prussia , came to

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864-444: Is Hoe dichter bij Dordt, hoe rotter het wordt (the closer to Dordrecht, the more rotten it gets). The previous mayor Noorland added to that; maar ben je er eenmaal in, dan heb je het prima naar je zin (but once you're in it, you're perfectly content). The saying can probably be explained as follows; traffic used to go by water and whoever came close to Dordrecht was obliged, according to staple right , to display their merchandise for

936-598: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dordrecht Dordrecht ( Dutch: [ˈdɔrdrɛxt] ), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, pronounced [dɔrt] ) or Dort , is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands , located in the province of South Holland . It is the province's fifth-largest city after Rotterdam , The Hague , Leiden , and Zoetermeer , with

1008-500: Is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands , in the province of South Holland . The municipality covers an area of 14.01 km (5.41 sq mi) of which 1.17 km (0.45 sq mi) is covered by water. Sliedrecht is known for the many large dredging companies (including Boskalis and IHC Merwede) that come from it. The Dredging Festival takes place in Sliedrecht every two years. The first IKEA store in

1080-430: Is about the three brothers Van Beveren who each wanted to build a house and decided to make a bet on who would dare to place the most risqué statue on their façade. One of the brothers, Abraham van Beveren, placed a naked little boy on his façade. However, the house that supposedly won has an empty façade today because, according to the story, the statue was so risqué that it was removed. A well known saying about Dordrecht

1152-481: Is divided into 27 districts, neighbourhoods and hamlets : In 2021, around 19,35% of the population of Dordrecht was of non-Western origin. Between 2005 and 2008, this number has not changed. The allochthonous population consists for a large part of young people while the indigenous population has started to age. Over six thousand Turks live in Dordrecht, many of whom are originally from Kayapınar . According to

1224-410: Is little net flow in the Biesbosch (because the connection with both rivers and the sea has been blocked, although this will change in the future) the build-up of polluted sediments in the Biesbosch has been severe. Completely restoring the Biesbosch ecosystem cannot happen without an extensive cleanup of all the creeks, which will be an enormous and costly task. Another threat to the Biesbosch ecosystem

1296-468: Is the extensive water recreation in the area. The Biesbosch has, however, both strong natural and recreational values, so banning all recreational activities in the area is not an option. Finding the right balance in this issue will be a challenge. Other threats include the construction of yacht-basins, urban expansion and plans for exploitation of natural gas reserves. Sliedrecht Sliedrecht ( Dutch pronunciation: [ˈslidrɛxt] )

1368-575: Is the oldest city in Holland and has a rich history and culture. The name Dordrecht comes from Thuredriht (circa 1120), Thuredrecht (circa 1200). The name seems to mean 'thoroughfare'; a ship-canal or river through which ships were pulled by rope from one river to another, as here between the Dubbel and the Merwede. Earlier etymologists had assumed that the 'drecht' suffix came from Latin 'trajectum',

1440-648: The Eighty Years' War merchants from Dordrecht were involved in taking control and founding sugar cane plantations in the West Indies. At the end of the 17th century this led to a stable sugar refining industry in Dordrecht. This flourished in the 18th century, when Dordrecht had 16 sugar refineries, as opposed 120 in Amsterdam and 40 in Rotterdam. Dordrecht still has a few buildings purposely designed as

1512-416: The Haringvliet and Hollands Diep , restoring the natural shift from fresh to salty water and allow the return of the tides in the Biesbosch. A first step will be opening some of the sluices of the Haringvlietdam. This will result in a minimal return of tidal effects without having a dramatic impact on the landscape, because a full opening of the dam will make most of the surrounding farming areas unusable, as

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1584-570: The Synod of Dordrecht . The synod attempted, and succeeded, to settle the theological differences of opinion between the central tenets of Calvinism , and a new school of thought within the Dutch Reformed Church known as Arminianism , named for its spiritual leader Jacobus Arminius . Arminius' followers were also commonly known as Remonstrants , after the 1610 Five Articles of Remonstrance which outlined their points of dissent from

1656-712: The Watergeuzen , represented by William II de la Marck , gathered in Dordrecht to hold the Eerste Vrije Statenvergadering ("First Assembly of the Free States "), also known as the Unie van Dordrecht ("Union of Dordrecht"). This secret meeting, called by the city of Dordrecht, was a rebellious act since only King Philip II or his stadtholder , at that time the Duke of Alba , were allowed to call

1728-749: The World Jazz dagen (World Jazz days) held annually in August or September, the Dancetour or Boulevard of Dance , which takes place on Kingsday , Big Rivers Festival , a film, music, poetry and theatre festival held in June, and the Cello festival, held every four years in the weekend of the Ascension . Rond Uit Dordrecht , Since 2013 they do organise a four-day bicycle festival early June. A website with

1800-530: The 20th century. During the mobilization of August 1939, infantry and artillery were sent to Dordrecht to defend the island. When the Germans invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, German paratroopers landed in Dordrecht. After fierce fighting they took the bridges Dordrecht-Moerdijk and Dordrecht-Zwijndrecht. Many buildings in Dordrecht were destroyed. Towards the end of the Second World War , during

1872-454: The Biesbosch afterwards. The partial opening of the Haringvlietdam will restore some of the natural situation. In the future possibly moose will be re-introduced in the area. The area still faces many threats. One of them is the pollution of water and soil. Many streambeds contain severely polluted sediments , a remainder from the sixties and seventies, when the rivers Rhine and Meuse were much more polluted than they are today. Because there

1944-421: The Biesbosch today. There is also an increase in the population of bitterns and kingfishers . Moreover, as of 2014 a couple of white-tailed eagles has been breeding in the Biesbosch for several years in a row. Ospreys have been using the Biesbosch as a feeding ground for several years now, with the first Dutch-born Ospreys in the spring of 2016 as a result. There are also plans to restore the estuary function of

2016-601: The Biesbosch, which is separated from the rest of the Biesbosch by the Nieuwe Merwede river (which serves as the borderline between the provinces of South Holland and North Brabant ). The Brabantse Biesbosch can be divided into three parts, from which only the so-called Zuidwaard belongs to the National Park. The Zuidwaard of the Brabantse Biesbosch has fewer fields of reeds and sedges compared to

2088-476: The Dordtse Biesbosch has largely an agricultural destination, it also contains several recreational areas which serves as the "playground" for the people of Dordrecht. The most central part of the Biesbosch and the subject of much recent controversy. The Noordwaard has only been reclaimed during the 20th century and hosts some of most fertile farmlands in the entire Netherlands. However, as a result of

2160-640: The Dordtse Biesbosch, south of Dordrecht, together form the Hollandse Biesbosch which is a part of the national park the Biesbosch , one of the largest national parks in the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. The Dordtse Biesbosch has several recreational areas that are used for walking , rowing and swimming . There are also several parks near the city, such as Merwepark and Wantijpark. The Riwal Hoogwerkers Stadion

2232-555: The Dordtse sheep heads) during matches. There is also a cookie called Schapenkop (sheep head) which is a speciality of Dordrecht. There are many more legends about Dordrecht. One of them is about Saint Sura, a young woman who planned on building an entire church with only three coins in her purse. She was murdered because of her supposed wealth. Another legend is about the house called de Onbeschaamde (the Unembarrassed). It

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2304-525: The Heidezee was a shallow but extended body of water, with high tides but also a predominance of fresh water. The deposits of the rivers caused the land to become only submerged at high tides. From that moment on the area was called the Bergse Veld ("Fields of Geertruidenberg ") and, later on (during the 18th century), the Biesbosch (although a small patch of swamp had been known as Biesbosch even before

2376-454: The Island of Dordrecht, and the "greater" Biesbosch. As a result of these hydrological changes, the Biesbosch lost its function as a river delta and now only receives water directly from the rivers in times of high discharges. During World War II , the area was used by Dutch residents to hide out from the German occupation forces in the Netherlands. A resistance group was formed that, late in

2448-501: The NTS policies. From about 1850 to 1876, the NTS gradually stopped its protection of Dutch shipping. The traditional (cane) sugar refining industry of Dordrecht would not survive the industrial revolution. However, in 1861 Dordrecht Sugar Factory became operational as second modern beet sugar factory of the Netherlands. Throughout the centuries, Dordrecht held a key position in the defense of Holland. It hosted an army division well into

2520-615: The Netherlands opened in Sliedrecht in 1978, but it closed in 2006. Sliedrecht is also the site of the Nationaal Baggermuseum (National Dredging Museum) - featuring dredging and salvage . [REDACTED] Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Sliedrecht, June 2015 Sliedrecht railway station and Sliedrecht Baanhoek railway station are situated on the Geldermalsen–Dordrecht railway . Waterbus route 2: This South Holland location article

2592-537: The Oostwaard has been reclaimed during the 17th and 18th centuries. The Biesbosch was created when 300 square kilometres of polder lands were submerged in the St. Elizabeth flood in the year 1421. Before this, the area was called Grote Hollandse Waard , containing cultivated land and a number of villages. The more than a century old dikes collapsed because of lack of maintenance, due to the difficult economic situation in

2664-697: The Social Geographical Office of Dordrecht, the population consisted of the following ethnic groups in 2005 and 2008: Due to its long and important role in Dutch history, Dordrecht has a rich culture. The medieval city centre is home to over 950 monuments. The city also houses 7 historic churches and 6 museums in a relatively small area and hosts many festivals and events every year. The following museums are located in Dordrecht: Dordrecht hosts around 20 cultural and historical events and festivals each year. The city won

2736-594: The Spanish and at his own request, freedom of religion was declared in all of Holland. The gathering is regarded as the first important step towards the free and independent Dutch Republic . Other important gatherings such as the Union of Brussels (1577) and the Union of Utrecht (1579) paved the way for official independence of the Dutch Republic , declared in the Act of Abjuration in 1581. The Union of Dordrecht

2808-530: The aid of William V and on 18 September 1787, Dordrecht capitulated to Prussian troops. The Patriots were defeated and Willem V was restored in his position as Stadtholder. During the French period (1795–1813) Dordrecht continued to have a decent sea harbor and, for ocean-going ships, it was easier to reach than Rotterdam harbor. This changed in 1829, when the Voorne Canal was opened. Meanwhile, profits from

2880-538: The area, and the difficulties between the political entities within (especially the Hook and Cod (civil) wars ). One of the key factors in the flooding of the Grote Waard was the creation of a new dike in the southwest of the polder. The ground beneath this dike was unstable, which was a known (but underestimated) fact in this period of time. However, combined with political rivalry and financial issues, this resulted in

2952-543: The brink of civil war. The synod was attended by Gomarist Dutch delegates and also by delegates from Reformed churches in Germany, Switzerland, and England. Though it was originally intended that the synod would bring agreement on the doctrine of predestination among all the Reformed churches, in practice this Dutch synod was mainly concerned with problems facing the Dutch Reformed Church . The opening sessions dealt with

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3024-626: The church's official doctrine. They were opposed by the Contra-Remonstrants, or the Gomarists, who were led by Dutch theologian Franciscus Gomarus . During the Twelve Years' Truce , this in essence purely theological conflict between different factions of the church had in practice spilled over into politics, dividing society along ideological lines, and threatening the existence of the young republic by repeatedly bringing it to

3096-399: The creation of an unstable dike, located at one of the key corners of the Grote Waard. It was the only place where high tides coming directly from the sea could penetrate the land deeply and could reach a primary "keystone" dike of the Grote Waard (most of the primary dikes were used as protection against rivers instead). Very high river levels combined with a severe storm surge coming in from

3168-421: The disaster it became brackish and an important estuary of the rivers Rhine and Meuse . A persistent misunderstanding is that the Biesbosch arose by this storm flood in one night. It is true that this flood broke dikes of the then Grote Hollandse Waard or Zuid Hollandse Waard, but it needed dozens of years before the whole area was under water and had changed to the Biesbosch with its creeks and reeds. At first,

3240-555: The early 19th century, Dordrecht was a major center for shipbuilding. It was also a center of the Dutch timber market. As a smaller town, wages were lower than in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It all made that many shipping lines that sailed to the East Indies for the Netherlands Trading Society (NTS) had their ships built in Dordrecht. Shipbuilders and shipping lines from Dordrecht profited disproportionally from

3312-541: The errors of the Remonstrants that were rejected as well as the doctrines that were affirmed. The doctrines affirmed were that predestination is not conditional on belief; that Christ did not die for all; the total depravity of man; the irresistible grace of God; and the impossibility of falling from grace. These canons of Dort, along with the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism, remain

3384-410: The flood). A network of interconnecting creeks, mudflats and forested areas arose, which served as a sort of inland delta of the large rivers feeding it. A significant result of this was that the former estuary arms of the Rhine and Meuse, further north-west, were devoid of much of the inflow of fresh water. This caused the rivers to fill with deposits, so the important shipping route between Rotterdam and

3456-534: The form of the Oude Maasje , not to be confused with another branch called Oude Maas near Rotterdam ). Most of the flooded area changed into a network of estuaries . The most important of those were the Hollands Diep ("Holland Deep") and the (shallow) Heidezee ("Heath Sea"). Both were connected to the Haringvliet which existed before the disaster as a pure seawater inlet of the North Sea . After

3528-445: The habitat of many animals. Especially the beaver population could profit from these hydrological changes (and, as of 2014, they indeed expanded their range significantly). It would also hopefully create the right conditions for the return of the osprey and the white-tailed eagle as breeding birds. Because of recent nature development of new wetlands, the great egret and the little egret have already become familiar elements in

3600-678: The high water levels in the Dutch rivers during the 1990s, the government has decided to undo the reclamation and reconnect the Noordwaard to the Merwede rivers (essentially the Rhine ). In this way it can serve as a buffer and be of much importance in the prevention of dike breaks and subsequent flooding in densely populated areas in the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta . The first phase of the "de- poldering " has been completed by 2008 and

3672-473: The inland areas was no longer usable. During the last centuries, conditions changed significantly. Most of the Biesbosch was reclaimed and turned into polders. The Rhine-Meuse connection with Rotterdam was restored by preventing the build-up of deposits by artificial means. Most of the Biesbosch creeks were closed off at their upstream end to lower the risk of flooding. The confluence of the Meuse and Rhine rivers

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3744-408: The midst of peat marshes. This river was a branch of the river Dubbel, which is part of the massive Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta complex, near the current Bagijnhof . Around 1120 reference to Dordrecht was made by a remark that count Dirk IV of Holland was murdered in 1049 near " Thuredrech ". Dordrecht was granted city rights by William I, Count of Holland , in 1220, making it the oldest city in

3816-406: The present province of South Holland . In fact, Geertruidenberg was the first city in the historical county of Holland to receive city rights, but this municipality currently is part of the province of North Brabant . In the 12th and 13th centuries, Dordrecht developed into an important market city because of its strategic location. It traded primarily in wine , wood and cereals . Dordrecht

3888-442: The reclamation and give it back to nature and to reconnect the main rivers with the Biesbosch creeks. This decision has been made as a result of extremely high river discharges in 1993 and 1995. This means that a large part of the Biesbosch will return to its original state: an interconnected network of rivers and creeks, serving as an inland river delta. The area can then be used as a natural buffer to prevent major floods and to lower

3960-481: The rest of the National Park and consists mostly of willow forests. The National Park occupies only half of the original Biesbosch area. The other half has been reclaimed and consists mostly of farmland. It can be divided into several parts as well: The part of the Biesbosch that borders the city of Dordrecht . It is located between the Sliedrechtse Biesbosch and the Hollandse Biesbosch. Although

4032-409: The resulting wetlands have been added to the National Park. The second phase will be completed somewhere between 2015 and 2020. The easternmost and oldest part of the Biesbosch does not resemble the rest of the Biesbosch and consists mainly of farmland and expanded neighbourhoods of towns along the Biesbosch border (such as Werkendam , Nieuwendijk and Hank ), along with a few creek remnants. Much of

4104-485: The return of the salmon , trout , shad , smelt and many other species of fish. It will also create opportunities for the almost extinct southern Dutch population of seals (now mostly restricted to parts of the Oosterschelde ). Seals used to be a common sight in the Biesbosch despite the fact that the area is dominated by freshwater. Their presence ended in 1970, although a few individuals somehow managed to reach

4176-444: The risk of very high river levels. For example, the Noordwaard polder in the Biesbosch was reconnected with the Merwede river , to allow flooding during peak discharges of the Rhine and Meuse rivers and to reintroduce sediments which resulted in land aggradation rate of 5.1 mm. The latter is called a sedimentation enhancing strategy . Such strategies will also restore some of the natural situation and will result in an expansion of

4248-446: The river Beneden Merwede (one of the borders of the Biesbosch). The eastern part of the Sliedrechtse Biesbosch is one of the few areas in the Netherlands that has an intact system of river dunes. The westernmost part of the Biesbosch and the largest remnant of the (once much larger) South Hollandic part of the Biesbosch. The Hollandse Biesbosch is the part of the National Park best known for its birds. The eastern and largest part of

4320-714: The sea caused the collapse of the southwest dike and several riverdikes, resulting in the flooding of most of the Grote Hollandse Waard. After the flood, three areas remained: the Island of Dordrecht to the west, the Land van Altena (with the city of Woudrichem ) to the east, and the brackish swamps of the Biesbosch in between. Many villages (by tradition 72) were swallowed by the flood and were lost, causing (again by tradition) either 2,000 or 10,000 casualties. Some towns had more luck and submerged, only to rise above

4392-535: The sea. Only in the northern part of the Biesbosch (the so-called Sliedrechtse Biesbosch) some of the tidal difference remained (20–80 cm on average). The diminishing of the tidal difference caused a dramatic transformation of the Biesbosch, which mostly changed into a willow forest with small remnants of the once mighty delta streams. The creation of the Haringvlietdam also blocked the main route for migrating fish. The influence of both rivers and sea had now mostly gone. The Dutch government has decided to undo most of

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4464-620: The second largest book market and the largest Christmas market in the Netherlands. Wantijfestival is an out-doors music festival that has been held annually in the second week of June since 1995. It takes place in the Wantij park and attracts around 35,000 people each year. Wantij park also hosts the Wantijconcerten (Wantij concerts) that are held every Monday night in July and August. Other popular music festivals held in Dordrecht are

4536-534: The theological basis of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Following the synod, two hundred Remonstrant ministers were deposed from their office, of which eighty were banished. The political leaders of the Remonstrant movement were arrested and one of them beheaded on May 14, 1619. It was only after the death of Prince Maurice in 1625 that the persecution of the Remonstrants ceased. During

4608-644: The title of "Best events city of the year" in 2003 and was nominated for the same title in 2004 and 2005. Dordt in Stoom (literally: Dordt in steam) is the biggest steam event in Europe during which historical steam trains, steam boats etc. can be seen in action. It is organized every other year and attracts a quarter of a million visitors. Attention is also paid to Dordrecht's art and architecture during Kunstrondje Dordt (literally: Little art circle Dordt) and Dordt Monumenteel (Dordt Monumental), which attracts around 100,000 visitors every year. Dordrecht hosts

4680-487: The trade with the Dutch East Indies probably obscured the fact that Dordrecht was losing the maritime competition with Rotterdam. The end of Dordrecht as a first rate sea harbor came about when the Nieuwe Waterweg became fully usable in 1883. Compared to Dordrecht, Rotterdam sent about four times as much cargo up the Rhine to Germany in 1875. In 1895 this was 30 times as much and in 1910 about 200 times. In absolute numbers cargo from Dordrecht declined by more than 50%. In

4752-422: The war, captured Germans fleeing to the north from what was then the Allied -held south of the Netherlands. In the winter of 1944, the area was crossed by refugees from the occupied north, while, at the same time, it was being used to smuggle medicines to the north. The people that coordinated these activities are known as the Biesbosch crossers and are commonly regarded as national heroes. Many Dutch books and

4824-434: The water later on. Many Rhine-Meuse delta branches that were closed off from the main rivers and served as drainage bodies of the Grote Waard, also disappeared. These include the Dubbel (the name of which survives in Dubbeldam ), Eem, Werken (after which Werkendam is named), Graaf, Alm (which lent its name to Almkerk ; the eastern part survived) and most of the main drainage stream: the Oude Maas (a small part survives in

4896-452: The winter of 1944–45, Dordrecht and its surroundings were in the middle between the opposing armies. The border between occupied and liberated regions ran along the Hollands Diep . Dordrecht was finally liberated by the Canadian Army. In 1970, the municipality Dubbeldam (then ca. 10,000 inhabitants) and the southern part of the municipality of Sliedrecht were incorporated into Dordrecht, making Dordrecht Island one municipality. Dordrecht

4968-407: Was closed off as well and the Meuse received a new, artificial mouth: the Bergse Maas . By separating rivers Meuse and Rhine before they reach the Biesbosch, their flow can be controlled better. A second ship canal was created to better distribute the flow of the river Rhine as well: the Nieuwe Merwede , which divides the Biesbosch into two parts: the "lesser" Biesbosch, now the southeastern part of

5040-419: Was commonly said that over 10,000 people died in the flood, but recent research indicates that it was probably fewer than 200 people. On 29 June 1457, the city was devastated by a fire which started in Kleine Spuistraat, destroying many buildings, including the Grote Kerk. In 1572, four years into the Dutch Revolt , representatives of all the cities of Holland, with the exception of Amsterdam , as well as

5112-430: Was held in an Augustinian monastery, nowadays simply called het Hof ("the Court"). The room in which the meeting was held is called de Statenzaal ("The Hall of States") and features a stained glass window in which the coats of arms of the twelve cities that were present at the meeting can be seen. From 13 November 1618 to 9 May 1619, an important Dutch Reformed Church assembly took place in Dordrecht, referred to as

5184-576: Was made even more important when it was given staple right in 1299. In 1253 a Latin school was founded in Dordrecht. It still exists today as the Johan de Witt Gymnasium  [ nl ] and is the oldest gymnasium in the Netherlands. From 1600 to 1615 Gerhard Johann Vossius was rector at this school. On 18–19 November 1421, the Saint Elisabeth's flood flooded large parts of southern Holland, causing Dordrecht to become an island. It

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