Sint Jansbrug

The logo used by the association which is called 'de kip' (the chicken)

Oude Delft 50-52

Sint Jansbrug (lit. "Bridge of Saint John") is a coed student society in the city of Delft in the Netherlands, founded in 1947. As of 2024, it has roughly 650 members, and owns three historic buildings in the Oude Delft, a street in the centre of Delft. All are official monuments.

The society is mid-sized and therefore more accessible than the largest student fraternities in Delft, while retaining its traditions and mores. It offers cheap student dinners for both members and non-members, as well as coffee and tea in a coffee-bar called Oele which becomes a bar on Friday evenings.

Oude Delft 50, with the fraternity's name

History

Sint Jansbrug was found on 15 oktober 1947 by a few students who lived together in Oude Delft 89 and couldn't connect with any of the existing student associations.

Sint Jansbrug moved twice in the first 10 years. In 1952 to the Schuttersdoelen and in 1955 to one of the current buildings, Oude Delft 52. The neighbouring building Oude Delft 50 was bought in 1985 and this has been connected with Oude Delft 52 in the '90. The neighbouring building Oude Delft 54 was bought in 2014, which has been rebuild to be a student house for memebers of Sint Jansbrug.

Sint Jansbrug was in 1969 the first student association in Delft that alllowed women to become members next to men. Sint Jansbrug is now also open and accommodating to international students.

In honour of the 50th year of existence the members of Sint Jansbrug build “de nieuwe Sint Jansbrug” (lit. "the new Bridge of Saint John"). For a year it stood over the Oude Delft and it has been permanently placed in a nearby park.

On 1 October 2007, at the opening of the celebration of the 60th year of existence, a new world record was established by opening 520 bottles of champagne at the same time. This received international media attention, for example from American broadcaster ABC.

Jaarclubs

Each year's new members of Sint Jansbrug form a jaarclub (year groups), which usually meet weekly on tuesday. There are men's, women's, and mixed jaarclubs, with approximately 11–15 members each.

Gilden

Sint Jansbrug also has 13 recognised gilden (guilds). Although the name is derived from the historical craft guild, within Sint Jansbrug a gilde consists of members from different years who share similar interests. Membership is by invitation and open only to those in the second year or above. Not every member of Sint Jansbrug is invited to join a gilde, and not everyone invited becomes a member of the gilde.

In books and film

The fraternity's history has been summarized in the 1997 book Broederlijcken Liiefde and the 2007 documentary film Liieve Leden.

External links

• Official webpage