Sint Jansbrug
Sint Jansbrug is a coeducational student society in Delft, Netherlands, known for its historic Oude Delft premises, accessible social culture, student dining, and coffee-bar and bar operations.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Sint Jansbrug is a coeducational student society based in Delft, Netherlands. Founded on 15 October 1947, it was established by students living together at Oude Delft 89 who felt unable to connect with the student associations already operating in the city. The society has developed into a mid-sized Delft student organization with an estimated 650 members as of 2024. The society's identity combines traditional student-association customs with an explicitly accessible character. Compared with Delft's largest student fraternities, Sint Jansbrug is described as more approachable while maintaining its own traditions, internal social structures, and mores. Its membership is open to both men and women, and it has also become open to international students. Women were admitted alongside men from 1969, making Sint Jansbrug the first student association in Delft to permit mixed-gender membership in this way. Sint Jansbrug is closely associated with the historic Oude Delft street in the centre of Delft. During its first decade, the society moved from its original location to the Schuttersdoelen in 1952 and then to Oude Delft 52 in 1955. It later expanded its property holdings. Oude Delft 50 was purchased in 1985 and physically joined with Oude Delft 52 in 1990. In 2014, the society acquired the neighbouring Oude Delft 54, which was converted into student accommodation for Sint Jansbrug members. As of 2024, the society owns three historic buildings on Oude Delft, all of which are designated national heritage sites. The buildings support both social and practical activities. Sint Jansbrug offers relatively inexpensive student dinners to members and non-members. Its coffee-bar, Oele, serves coffee and tea and changes into a bar on Friday evenings, giving the society a public-facing hospitality role alongside its member activities. The organization also provides a framework for smaller social units. New members in each year form jaarclubs, or year groups, which commonly meet weekly on Tuesdays. These groups may be composed of men, women, or mixed membership and generally contain approximately 11 to 15 people. A second internal structure is provided by the society's 13 recognized gilden, or guilds. The term draws on the historical concept of a craft guild, but at Sint Jansbrug a gilde is an invitation-based group of members from different enrollment years who share interests. Membership is restricted to students in their second year or later, and not every member is invited or ultimately joins a gilde. The society has also marked its anniversaries through public and symbolic events. For its 50th anniversary, members constructed de nieuwe Sint Jansbrug, or 'the new Bridge of Saint John'. The temporary bridge stood over the Oude Delft for a year before being relocated permanently to a nearby park. At the opening event for the 60th anniversary on 1 October 2007, members established a reported world record by opening 520 champagne bottles simultaneously. The event attracted international media coverage, including coverage by the American broadcaster ABC. Sint Jansbrug's history has been documented in the 1997 book Broederlijcken Liiefde and the 2007 documentary film Liieve Leden. The society remains an active Delft student organization whose brand is rooted less in commercial products than in membership, heritage buildings, communal hospitality, and student social life.
History
Sint Jansbrug was founded in Delft on 15 October 1947 by students who lived together at Oude Delft 89 and were unable to connect with the established student associations available at the time. The new organization developed as a student society with its own traditions, social structures, and premises. Its first decade involved two relocations. In 1952, Sint Jansbrug moved to the Schuttersdoelen. In 1955, it moved to Oude Delft 52, one of the buildings it would later make part of its long-term home in central Delft. The society subsequently expanded its property holdings along the same street. Oude Delft 50 was acquired in 1985 and joined with Oude Delft 52 in 1990. In 2014, Sint Jansbrug acquired Oude Delft 54 and converted it into student housing for members. The society's membership policy changed significantly in 1969, when it became the first student association in Delft to allow women to become members alongside men. Sint Jansbrug later also opened itself to international students. These developments contributed to its contemporary identity as a coeducational and relatively accessible society, while it continued to retain student-association customs and internal traditions. By 2024, Sint Jansbrug had approximately 650 members and owned three historic buildings on Oude Delft. Each of these buildings is a national heritage site, making the society's physical environment an important part of its institutional identity. Its premises support social gatherings, hospitality, dinners, and member activities. The Oele coffee-bar serves coffee and tea and becomes a bar on Friday evenings. Sint Jansbrug also provides inexpensive student dinners to members and non-members. The society's social life is organized partly through jaarclubs and gilden. New members joining in the same year form jaarclubs, typically groups of around 11 to 15 people that often meet weekly on Tuesdays. These groups can be male, female, or mixed. The 13 recognized gilden bring together members from different years who share interests. Gilde membership is invitation-based and available only to members in their second year or later; invitations do not guarantee that the recipient joins, and participation is not universal among members. Anniversary events have formed part of Sint Jansbrug's public history. For its 50th anniversary, members built de nieuwe Sint Jansbrug, a temporary bridge placed over the Oude Delft for one year and later moved to a permanent site in a nearby park. For the 60th anniversary, the society held an opening event on 1 October 2007 at which 520 champagne bottles were opened simultaneously, an event reported as a world record and covered internationally, including by ABC. The society's history has also been represented in cultural works. The 1997 book Broederlijcken Liiefde summarized its history, while the 2007 documentary film Liieve Leden focused on the society and its members. Sint Jansbrug remains an active Delft student society centered on membership, communal life, historic property, affordable hospitality, and structured student friendships.
- 2014
Acquisition of Oude Delft 54
[1]The society acquires Oude Delft 54 and converts it into student housing for members.
- 2007
60th-anniversary events and documentary
[1]Sint Jansbrug marks its 60th anniversary with a 520-bottle champagne-opening event on 1 October, while the documentary Liieve Leden is released.
- 1997
Publication of Broederlijcken Liiefde
[1]The book Broederlijcken Liiefde summarizes the history of Sint Jansbrug.
- 1990
Buildings at Oude Delft 50 and 52 are joined
[1]Oude Delft 50 is connected with Oude Delft 52, consolidating the society's premises.
- 1985
Acquisition of Oude Delft 50
[1]The society purchases the neighboring building at Oude Delft 50.
- 1969
Women admitted as members
[1]Sint Jansbrug becomes the first student association in Delft to allow women to join alongside men.
- 1955
Move to Oude Delft 52
[1]Sint Jansbrug moves to Oude Delft 52, one of the buildings that later becomes part of its historic property complex.
- 1952
Move to the Schuttersdoelen
[1]The society relocates to the Schuttersdoelen as part of its early development.
- 1947
Sint Jansbrug is founded
[1]Students living at Oude Delft 89 establish Sint Jansbrug on 15 October after failing to connect with existing Delft student associations.
Products and positioning
A mid-sized, coeducational Delft student society positioned as more accessible than the city's largest student fraternities while preserving student traditions, structured social groups, hospitality, and a strong connection to historic heritage properties.
Coffee-bar and bar
Oele
Oele is Sint Jansbrug's coffee-bar and social hospitality venue. It serves coffee and tea and operates as a bar on Friday evenings, creating a regular meeting place for members and contributing to the society's accessible public-facing character.
Food service
Student dinners
Sint Jansbrug offers relatively inexpensive student dinners to both members and non-members. The dinners form part of the society's practical and communal role in Delft student life.
Student social groups
Jaarclubs
Jaarclubs are year-based groups formed by new members. They generally contain approximately 11 to 15 people and often meet weekly on Tuesdays. The groups may be composed of men, women, or mixed membership.
Interest-based member groups
Gilden
The society recognizes 13 gilden, groups that bring together members from different years around shared interests. Joining is by invitation and is limited to members in their second year or later.
Student accommodation · 2014
Member student housing
Oude Delft 54 was converted into student housing for Sint Jansbrug members after its acquisition in 2014. The accommodation is part of the society's broader property and member-support infrastructure.
Marketing campaigns
- 200760th-anniversary champagne event
Delft · International media
For the opening of its 60th-anniversary celebrations on 1 October 2007, Sint Jansbrug organized the simultaneous opening of 520 champagne bottles.
Outcome. The event was reported as a world record and received international media attention, including from ABC.
- 2007Liieve Leden
Netherlands
Release of a documentary film about Sint Jansbrug and its members in the year of the society's 60th anniversary.
Outcome. The documentary became a filmed record of the society's contemporary membership and culture.
- 1997Broederlijcken Liiefde
Netherlands
Publication of a book documenting and summarizing the history of Sint Jansbrug.
Outcome. The book became part of the society's historical record.
Brand decisions
2014
Purchase and conversion of Oude Delft 54M&ABackground
The society expanded its property holdings and member-support facilities.
Action taken
Sint Jansbrug acquired Oude Delft 54 and converted it into student accommodation for members.
Aftermath
The acquisition contributed to the society's ownership of three historic Oude Delft buildings.
1985
Purchase of Oude Delft 50M&ABackground
Sint Jansbrug sought to expand its historic premises on Oude Delft.
Action taken
The society purchased the neighboring building at Oude Delft 50.
Aftermath
The building was joined with Oude Delft 52 in 1990.
1969
Admit women alongside menStrategyBackground
The society's membership model had previously not allowed women to join alongside men.
Action taken
Sint Jansbrug changed its membership policy to admit women as members.
Aftermath
It became the first student association in Delft to permit this form of mixed-gender membership and later also opened itself to international students.
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