Image by Patty de Gruiter

The Oude Kerk (“old church”) is Amsterdam’s oldest parish church, consecrated in 1306 by the bishop of Utrecht. It stands in Amsterdam’s main red-light district.

Before the revolution in Amsterdam on 26 May 1578 in which the Roman Catholics lost sole control of the city government, the Oude Kerk was principally Catholic. Following William of Orange’s defeat of the Spanish and the influence of Calvinists, the church was adopted by the Protestants.

In the same year, the Oude Kerk became home to the registry of marriages. It was also used as the city archives, the most important documents locked in a chest covered with iron plates and painted with the city’s coat of arms. The chest was kept safe in the iron chapel.

The roof of the Oude Kerk is the largest medieval wooden vault in Europe. The Estonian planks date back to 1390 and boast some of the best acoustics in Europe. Therefor, the church is used a lot for concerts and exhibitions.The floor consists entirely of gravestones. The reason for this is that the church was built on a cemetery. Local citizens continued to be buried on the site within the confines of the church until 1865. There are approximately 2500 graves in the Oude Kerk, under which are buried 10,000 Amsterdam citizens.

I personally think it is not the nicest church in Amsterdam, but still very impressive.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Oude Kerk | Art & culture, Festivals & events | Entrance fee € 5.00
Oudekerksplein (entrance South) 23 | Center | +31206258284
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 17:00, Sun 13:00 – 17:00