Well worth the visit, DORDRECHT. Dordrecht is located about 20 km. southeast of Rotterdam. It is located on the "Island of Dordrecht" and in the middle ages was a very prosperous city due to all the waterways surrounding it. The city can be reached by car, train or boat. The center is very close to the railroad station and if one stops at the VVV (tourist information office) one can join a walking tour of the city (Rondje Dordt) or obtain a booklet for a selfguided tour. There are beautiful old "courtyards" (a.o. Lenghenhof and Arend Maartenshof), the beautiful Grand Church (Grote Kerk) with its graves and magnificant choir area, pulpit and organ. The Townhall, with its old prison still in the attick. The "Damiatenbrug"; The "Groothoofd" with its beautiful view of the three rivers; The "Long Iron Bridge" (Lange Ijzeren Brug) and the beautiful Museum Van Gijn. There is the Museum in the Museumstraat; the longest shopping street in The Netherlands, the "Voorstraat"; "Het Hof" and the "Augustijnenkerk" (old cloister) with its graves; and too many other interesting and beautiful places to mention. In summer one can also take the "fluisterboot" (a boat taking you through the canal and onto the river) or the "Fast Ferryboat" to Kinderdijk to see the famous "Windmills at Kinderdijk". Or the Sightseeing boats in the Biesbos, which will take you through sluices and from which you can admire the beauty of the Island from the water. The "Fast Ferry" can also be taken to the port of Rotterdam. A side trip by car through the "Alblasserwaard" by its small streams and quaint old farms or a trip through the "Hoekse Waard" over its dikes and by old farmhouses, is well worth the time and effort. Visit this beautiful city and you will not regret it! A BIT OF HISTORY: Holland, as The Netherlands is often referred to, consists of actually only 2 provinces in The Netherlands, n.l. North Holland and South Holland. The proper name of the country as a whole is: The Netherlands. In 1220 William I, count of Holland, granted Dordrecht "City Rights". As such Dordrecht may call itself "The Oldest City of Holland". In 1421 a huge flood, the St. Elisabeth flood, destroyed 17 villages around Dordrecht. It also formed the "drecht" cities: Dordrecht, Zwijndrecht, Barendrecht, Papendrecht, Sliedrecht. In 1572, during the Spanish occupation, "Het Hof" (see pictures)offered accomodations for the "First Free Meeting of The States". All twelve cities with the exception of Amsterdam took part in the secret meeting. Unanimously they decided to turn against the Spanish occupation and choose Prince William of Orange to be their leader. In 1575 the Dutch constitution was founded at the "Union of Dordrecht". This meeting of the States was the beginning of the independent State of The Netherlands.