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DORDRECHT Tourist Information
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Dordrecht is the oldest town of Holland. Founded in the early 11th century, it received city rights in 1220. This harbour town lies about 15km (9 miles) southeast of Rotterdam and about 37km (23 miles) southeast of The Hague, at the point where the Lower Merwede divides to form the Noord and Oude Maas (Old Meuse) rivers. An important rail junction and river port, it has shipyards and manufactures heavy machinery and chemicals.

A flood in 1421 reduced the economic importance of the town. Dordrecht was the scene (1572) of the meeting of the Estates of Holland that proclaimed William the Silent stadtholder.

Dordrecht provides a bit of a contrast to the modernism of Rotterdam. It has a 14th-century Gothic church (Grote Kerk) and an art museum with a good collection of paintings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

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