The Protestant church of Swichum or Saint Nicholas ChurchAlle middeleeuwse kerken: van Harlingen tot Wilhelmshaven, P Karstkarel, p. 279 is a religious building in

Swichum Swichum is a village in Leeuwarden municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 50 in January 2017. History The village was first mentioned in the 14th century as Swygghem. The etymology is unclear. Swi ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, one of the many

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

churches in

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

. The

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

was built in the 13th century and the semicircular

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

dates from the late 13th century; both are built out of red brick. The tower was built in the 14th century and the furniture in the church dates from the 19th century. The building is located on the Ayttadyk 3 and was once a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Nicholas but became a Protestant church after the

Protestant reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...

. It is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 24519, and is rated with a very high historical value and is in the care of Stichting Alde Fryske Tsjerken (Old Frisian Churches Foundation).

References

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Rijksmonuments in Friesland Protestant churches in the Netherlands