The municipality covers the entire Dordrecht Island, also often called Het Eiland van Dordt ("the Island of Dordt"), bordered by the rivers Oude Maas, Beneden Merwede, Nieuwe Merwede, Hollands Diep, and Dordtsche Kil.

Dordrecht is the largest and most important city in the Drechtsteden and is also part of the Randstad, the main conurbation in the Netherlands.

Around 1120 reference to Dordrecht was made by a remark that count Dirk IV of Holland was murdered in 1049 near "Thuredrech".

[8] On 29 June 1457, the city was devastated by a fire which started in Kleine Spuistraat, destroying many buildings, including the Grote Kerk.

During the meeting, the organization and financing of the rebellion against the Spanish occupation was discussed, Phillip II was unanimously denounced, and William of Orange was chosen as the rightful stadtholder and recognized as the official leader of the revolt.

Orange, represented at the meeting by his assistant Philips of Marnix, was promised financial support of his struggle against the Spanish and at his own request, freedom of religion was declared in all of Holland.

The Union of Dordrecht was held in an Augustinian monastery, nowadays simply called het Hof ("the Court").

[13] The synod attempted, and succeeded, to settle the theological differences of opinion between the central tenets of Calvinism, and a new school of thought within the Dutch Reformed Church known as Arminianism, named for its spiritual leader Jacobus Arminius.

During the Twelve Years' Truce, this in essence purely theological conflict between different factions of the church had in practice spilled over into politics, dividing society along ideological lines, and threatening the existence of the young republic by repeatedly bringing it to the brink of civil war.

The opening sessions dealt with a new Dutch translation of the Bible, a catechism, and the censorship of books.

The Remonstrants refused to accept the rules established by the synod and eventually were expelled from the church.

The Canons of Dort were produced; they discussed in detail in five sections the errors of the Remonstrants that were rejected as well as the doctrines that were affirmed.

These canons of Dort, along with the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism, remain the theological basis of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.

Following the synod, two hundred Remonstrant ministers were deposed from their office, of which eighty were banished.

[16] During the Eighty Years' War merchants from Dordrecht were involved in taking control and founding sugar cane plantations in the West Indies.

[17] Overall, the economic importance of Dordrecht began to wane in the 18th century, and Rotterdam became the main city in the region.

From 1780 to 1787, Dordrecht was home to the Patriots faction which intended to remove the hereditary Stadtholder position held by the House of Orange-Nassau.

Meanwhile, profits from the trade with the Dutch East Indies probably obscured the fact that Dordrecht was losing the maritime competition with Rotterdam.

The end of Dordrecht as a first rate sea harbor came about when the Nieuwe Waterweg became fully usable in 1883.

[22] The city also houses 7 historic churches and 6 museums in a relatively small area and hosts many festivals and events every year.

Rond Uit Dordrecht, Since 2013 they do organise a four-day bicycle festival early June.

To avoid having to pay, two men dressed up a sheep they had bought outside the city walls, attempting to disguise it as a man.

One of them is about Saint Sura, a young woman who planned on building an entire church with only three coins in her purse.

It is about the three brothers Van Beveren who each wanted to build a house and decided to make a bet on who would dare to place the most risqué statue on their façade.

However, the house that supposedly won has an empty façade today because, according to the story, the statue was so risqué that it was removed.

The saying can probably be explained as follows; traffic used to go by water and whoever came close to Dordrecht was obliged, according to staple right, to display their merchandise for a couple of days before being allowed to sail on.

Another explanation is derived from Bommel is rommel, bij Tiel is niet viel en hoe dichter bij Dordt hoe rotter het wordt which is supposed to be said by farmers describing the bad quality of the land close to the rivers Maas and Waal, only suitable for harvesting reed.

The Riwal Hoogwerkers Stadion is a football stadium and home ground of the local team FC Dordrecht playing in the second national league.

The strongest Dordts dialect is nowadays found in the working-class neighborhoods bordering the city centre.

A new large sport centre, the equivalent size of 3 soccer fields, is planned complete with gyms, skating rink, and a pool.