Voorstratshaven Dordrecht Netherlands by Hendrik-Jan Kornelis

The Voorstraatshaven is a harbour that runs right through the historic centre of Dordrecht. It is the city's oldest harbour and was originally a clayey creek or gully on a thick layer of peat. This gully was called the Thuredrith or Thuredrech(t) and is where Dordrecht was founded. One of the oldest bridges over the Voorstraatshaven is the Pelserbrug, which was built in 1284-1285.

Originally, the Voorstraatshaven and Wijnhaven were collectively called Oude Haven or - until the construction of the Nieuwe Haven in 1410 - simply Haven, starting at the Boombrug near the Groothoofd and ending at the Leuvebrug next to the Grote Kerk. As far as we know, the earliest mention of the name Voorstraatshaven dates from 1868. At that time, the Tolbrug - today's Scheffersplein - formed the boundary between Voorstraatshaven and Wijnhaven. In 1960 the municipal council decided that Voorstraatshaven would continue until Nieuwbrug and Wijnhaven would henceforth be limited to the part of Oude Haven north of it.

In the 13th century, the city area around the Voorstraatshaven was defined by monasteries. Because it was forbidden to build between the Grote Kerk and the Visbrug, there was no construction between the Voorstraat and the Voorstraatshaven for a long time.

Although the Oude Haven was not accessible to large ships, trade and shipping did use the harbour from the 16th century onwards.

In a Dutch city like Dordrecht, public health was still poor in the 19th century, partly due to the presence of often stagnant water. In 1862, research showed that there was a relationship between mortality rates and the neighbourhood in which people lived. The area north of the Voorstraatshaven was the healthiest part of the city. It was relatively healthy living on the riverside, although the Grotekerksbuurt was an exception.