Dordrecht is a city in the Netherlands, in the province South Holland.
Dordrecht was founded in 1047 and got its City Rights in 1220. It was the first city in the west of the Netherlands to get City Rights. In 1572 the Dutch Dukes under Willem van Oranien declared their independence from Spain in Dordrecht.
Dordrecht has about 120,000 inhabitants. It has a marine harbor, metal and food industry.
Dordrecht received its city charter in 1220, making it the oldest city in former Holland (but not in the Netherlands). In 1421, the Saint Elizabeth flood flooded large parts of South Holland, making Dordrecht an island. The strategically valuable location of the town, which also had a stacking right, made it an important stacking market and trading centre from about 1299. Trade goods in the place were wine, wood and grain. The Hanseatic League knew how to put the trading centre of Bruges with the location of Dordrecht under political pressure successfully on several occasions.
On July 15/16, 1572, representatives of most of the cities of the Netherlands met in Dordrecht, in the building "Het Hof". There they made William of Orange their leader and declared their independence from Spain. This Dordrecht Assembly of Estates thus marked the beginning of the Dutch struggle for independence. In 1618/1619, an important religious meeting of the two Reformed churches of the Netherlands was held in Dordrecht as the Dordrecht Synod to deliberate on the Statenvertaling, the first Dutch translation of the Bible. It was opened and closed by the Dordrecht preacher Balthasar Lydius. In 1632, a synod called by the Dutch Mennonites adopted the Dordrecht Confession. In the 18th century the importance of Dordrecht decreased considerably in favour of Rotterdam.
Throughout the centuries, Dordrecht has occupied a key position in the defence of Holland. Until well into the 20th century, Dordrecht was a garrison town. Pioneers were stationed in the Benthienkazerne along the Oude Maas. During the mobilization in August 1939, crews were sent to Dordrecht to defend the island. During the German occupation, the Flußräumflottile Niederlande was stationed in Nieuwe Hafen from 1941 to 1945. Also during the Second World War, Dordrecht and its surroundings became the centre of the battles in the winter of 1944/1945. The border between liberated and occupied territory was then at Hollands Diep. In 1970, Dordrecht incorporated the previously independent village of Dubbeldam, as well as the part of the (preserved) municipality of Sliedrecht located on the island of Dordrecht.
Local elections 2018
%
20
10
0
18,4
12,1
10,1
9,9
9,6
9,0
7,7
6,1
6,0
11,0
gains and losses
compared to 2014
%p
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
−14,9
+4,2
+0,4
+0,3
+4,2
+0,2
+7,7
−2,7
+0,4
+0,1
Template:Election Chart/Maintenance/Color Input Error - Dark
Template:Election Chart/Maintenance/Color Input Error - Dark
Template:Election Chart/Maintenance/Color Input Error - Dark
The March 21, 2018 local elections resulted in the following distribution of seats:
| Party | Seats | |||
| 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | |
| Beter Voor Dordt | 6 | 15 | 14 | 8 |
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | |
| 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| - — | - — | - — | 3 | |
| - — | - — | 3 | 2 | |
| Verenigde Seniors Partij | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Gewoon Dordt | - — | - — | - — | 1 |
| Dordtse Partij | - — | - — | - — | 0 |
| Blanco Lijst | - — | - — | - — | 0 |
| WEK Dordrecht | - — | - — | 0 | - — |
| Eco-Dordt | 2 | - — | - — | - — |
| Total | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 |
Since 13 September 2017, Wouter Kolff (VVD) is the acting mayor of the municipality. His colleagues include the aldermen Piet Sleeking (Beter Voor Dordt), Peter Heijkoop (CDA), Rik van der Linden (ChristenUnie/SGP), Marco Stam (Beter Voor Dordt), Maarten Burggraaf (VVD).
Dordrecht is twinned with the following cities:
Recklinghausen, Germany, since 1974
Hastings, United Kingdom
Varna, Bulgaria
Bamenda, Cameroon
Dordrecht, South Africa|
| Blasoning: "On the red shield with the white pole rests a golden crown. Shield holders are two golden griffins with silver claws." |
A: Dordrecht is a city in the Netherlands, in the province South Holland.
A: Dordrecht was founded in 1047.
A: Dordrecht got its City Rights in 1220.
A: Yes, Dordrecht was the first city in the west of the Netherlands to get City Rights.
A: In 1572 the Dutch Dukes under Willem van Oranien declared their independence from Spain in Dordrecht.
A: Dordrecht has about 120,000 inhabitants.
A: Dordrecht has a marine harbor, metal and food industry.
