Over the centuries, Dordrecht’s monuments have weathered storms, fires, and even wars. But now something’s wrong: one monument has fallen apart! Pick up your puzzle booklet at the Dordrecht Tourist Information Office (Spuiboulevard 99) and set out on a tour of the city center. Discover the stories behind six special monuments, collect the right puzzle pieces, and rebuild the monument. Can you put the monument back together?
Good luck!
The Dordrecht Tourist Information Office (VVV Dordrecht) is Dordrecht’s premier visitor center, where you can find inspiration about the city. Want to know what there is to do in Dordrecht, or are you looking for authentic Dordrecht products? The staff is ready to tell you all about Dordrecht, and they’re also very knowledgeable about all the local activities.
The VVV shop sells books, maps, city walking tours, itineraries, and souvenirs. You can also rent bicycles, e-bikes, and a tandem there.
Dordrecht City Hall was built between 1383 and 1388 by Flemish merchants. They used the building as a market hall. Starting in 1544, the city council held its meetings there, and the building took on its current function as City Hall. The cellars with cross vaults date from the seventeenth century. At that time, the city jail was part of City Hall. In the attic, the original wooden roof structures can still be seen, as well as the old prison cells.
The medieval Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk in Dordrecht is a building with a rich history, dating back to the11thcentury. Not only the imposing architecture of the church’s exterior, but also the monuments, chapels, and choir stalls inside the building make it Dordrecht’s most important landmark. The church’s interior is definitely worth a visit.
At the Dordrecht Patriciërshuis, a museum on the Maas River, you can experience how wealthy citizens lived at the end of the 18th century—until Napoleon came to power and changed everything! In a film shown in the attic, where the original clotheslines are still preserved, the last residents explain why they left the building so it could be opened to visitors. The exhibits in the period rooms are also explained in a way that is accessible to both laypeople and art historians alike.
The Groothoofd is located at the confluence of three rivers—the busiest river junction in Europe. The Beneden-Merwede, the Oude Maas, and the Noord all converge here. The Groothoofdspoort, historically Dordrecht’s most important city gate, is still visible from the water. The old, late-Gothic city gate was built around 1440–1450 and was enclosed in 1617–1618 by a new Renaissance gate, which defines its current appearance.
At the Hof, through stories of courage, resistance, and resilience, you’ll discover that freedom and equality for everyone were—and still are—not always a given. In the Netherlands, we consider freedom to be of the utmost importance; it is deeply rooted in our country’s identity. At the Hof, you’ll gain insight into the ongoing pursuit of freedom throughout the centuries.
A low-threshold catering establishment: this is how Restaurant Het Magazijn can safely be called. You can easily walk in to the restaurant, where you will also find all kinds of stores and the art loan. The atmosphere at Het Magazijn is exactly how many people like it: relaxed and friendly. Whether you feel like a drink, lunch or dinner: Het Magazijn's menu offers something for everyone. Don't forget the comfort food! These are small dishes that you can enjoy at any time of the day.
