History of the Arsenaal

The Arsenaal is an icon of Delft and an essential part of the cityscape. This truly picturesque and almost Vermeer-like complex holds great cultural and historical value and has rightfully been designated a national monument. Over the centuries, the buildings have served countless purposes and welcomed many residents and visitors.

It is no coincidence that the Arsenaal is located in Delft. In the sixteenth century, Delft was one of the largest and most powerful cities in Holland. The city flourished, partly thanks to its location along important waterways and the rise of trade and industry. In 1601, a weapons depot was built on the southern tip of the peninsula, commissioned by the States of Holland and West Friesland. This robust building, intended for the storage of weapons and ammunition, forms the foundation of the name the hotel still proudly carries today: the Arsenaal.

The city carpentry yard, a courtyard for single women and a large brewery… By the middle of the previous millennium, there was already plenty happening on the southern side of the ‘peninsula’. Yet history was truly made in 1601, when a weapons depot was built on the southern tip by order of the States of Holland and West Friesland.

From the beginning of the 17th century, the Arsenaal housed countless cannons, firearms, bullets and other weaponry. At that time, Delft played a strategic role in the military defence of Holland, and the Arsenaal was an indispensable link in this system.

On 1 October 1601, twelve Delft merchants and entrepreneurs hired a ship to set up a trade expedition to Asia. Skipper Adriaen Corneliszoon Haai from Delfshaven leased his ship, De Haai, for a one-way journey to the East. Shortly afterwards, under pressure from the States General, the various Dutch and Zeeland trading companies merged to form the Dutch East India Company, the VOC. De Haai was renamed Eendracht, and the birth of Delft as a VOC city became a fact.

After the ‘Tuighuis’ lost its function as an internment camp in 1948, the Ministry of War established a study collection of military objects in the Arsenaal. This growing collection attracted the interest of the Army Museum, which took over the management of the complex in 1959.

Ambitious plans soon followed: the monumental building would be restored and renovated, with the aim of bringing all military collections together in this historic location. The restoration and renovation took several years to complete. In 1989, the long-held dream became reality, and the Army Museum officially opened its doors in the Arsenaal in Delft.

Due to the rich history of the building, the Arsenaal was designated a national monument and became part of Delft’s protected cityscape. During the renovation, historical elements such as the balcony ceiling, brick walls and original windows and frames had to be preserved, forming the starting point for the design.

The work began with the installation of systems such as air supply and extraction, electricity, water pipes and heating. This was followed by wall finishing, flooring and the furnishing of the building. Despite challenges such as longer delivery times, the renovation was completed and Hotel Arsenaal opened its doors.