Of all the hofjes that Dordrecht had, seven still remain. The Hofjesroute starts at VVV Dordrecht and runs, among other things, past the oldest hofje (1519) the Van Slingelandtshof and ends at the youngest hof: Hallincqhof (1900).
TIPS
Start your tour at the Dordrecht Tourist Information Office. Here, you can browse through all the tour routes, souvenirs, and books.
From the VVV, turn right onto the Achterom. At the intersection turn right onto the Bagijnhof.
The name Bagijnhof of this street recalls the Begijnhof founded in the late 13th century, which stood approximately on the site of the row of stores (Hema). In the Middle Ages, this part of Visstraat was already called "begynen straete. The gate of the Old Women's House (the beguinage received this destination in 1623) now stands in the Hofstraat, sandwiched between the Berckepoort and the Statenschool.
Cross diagonally to the entrance to the Regenten- or Lenghenhof.
During the day, visitors can stroll through the Regenten- or Lenghenhof, which consists of four courtyards. Walk through the gate at Bagijnhof into the oldest part of the Regentenhof. This regent-run women's court from 1755 has forty residents. The court exists thanks to the Dordrecht merchant/reder Gijsbert de Lengh. He donated a fortune at the end of his life to found the hof for old, unmarried women.
Through a gate on the left and a gate on the right, there is another exit on the left that leads to the Vriesestraat. In the Vriesestraat, turn left.
Of the surviving hofjes in Dordrecht, the Oude Vrouwenhof or Van Slingelandthof (off Vriesestraat 100-104) is the oldest; Pieter Henricksz van Slingelandt had the first houses built in 1519, after which the hofje was expanded. In 1989 the hofje was renovated; now it is intended for people making a new start in their lives.
Continue down Vriesestraat, turn right at intersection (Sarisgang), past Statenplein and left past the houses of Nieuwstraat. Turn right at Hofstraat.
On the left is the gate of the former Old Women's House on the Bagijnhof.
Before the entrance to The Court, turn right into the Monastery Garden.
Walk straight through the little park, between the natural stone benches, bend left for a moment and then right, under the houses to the Augustijnenkamp. Turn right via Lastig Eendtstraat to Museumstraat.
To the left at number 56 is the Arend Maartenszhof (1625) (Museum Street 56) with 38 dwellings and a restored regents' room (1701) with a portrait gallery of the founder and first regents. To the right of the entrance is the regents' room. Pressing the button in the wall turns on the light in the room.
Continue along Museumstraat and turn left into Kolfstraat (opposite Drievriendenhof shopping arcade).
A carpenter, bricklayer and tailor founded the Drievriendenhof in 1875. The court made way for a parking lot in the 1960s. Now there is a parking garage and covered (fashion) shopping arcade.
At the end of Kolfstraat turn right and then left over Vriesebrug and Vrieseplein, first left: Kromhout. At church building turn right, Warmoezierspad, end left Kasperspad. The main entrance to the Wilhelmina Foundation (1926) is on Kasperspad, number 63.
The main entrance to the Wilhelmina Foundation (1926) is at Kasperspad, number 63. In the deed of foundation of the Wilhelminastichting, the goal was described as follows: "to provide free housing for elderly people, belonging to a Protestant denomination, of the female persuasion, from the working class or small middle class". This has since changed, and now men and married couples can also rent housing.
Walk back along Kasperspad (cross Warmoezierspad) to Vrieseweg, turn left here. On the opposite side, at number 113 is the Clara and Maria-Hof (1880).
The neoclassical Clara and Mariahof (Vrieseweg 1-22) was founded in 1880 by the Dordrecht cookie baker Marinus Kemp. He named it after his third wife Clara and his oldest daughter Maria. The houses were intended for "widows and female orphans of the decent class" who could not afford a house of their own.
Continue Vrieseweg until junction, turn left (Samuel van Hoogstraten) Singel. At house number 97 cross the Singel, straight ahead Berckepad to entrance Park Merwestein. Enter the park, turn left before the deer park fence, follow walking path along the fence to the end and exit of the park at the Singel, opposite Schouwburg Kunstmin.
Exit the park. Turn right, (G. Schalken) Singel. Cross Hallincqlaan, straight ahead. After house number 46 turn right, entrance court De Vereeniging.
Hof De Vereeniging from 1864 designed the well-known architect H.W. Veth. This was the first housing project of the half-capitalist, half-idealist "Vereeniging tot Verbetering der Huisvesting van de Arbeidende Klasse." In 1972 the association was dissolved and the houses are now privately owned.
Walk through the court to the Groenedijk. Cross the Groenedijk to visit the Hallincqhof (1890/1902), diagonally across.
The Hallincqhof was also designed by the well-known architect H.W. Veth and features striking Jugendstil style elements at the end façade on the Groenedijk side.
This is where the Garden Route ends and you can choose to walk back downtown.
Feel like walking a little further? It is well worth a walk to the gardens and restaurant of Villa Augustus. Located on the site of the former waterworks with a large vegetable garden, a hotel in the Water Tower and a restaurant in the pump house.
