The Oude Kerk (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

: Old Church) is

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

’s oldest building and youngest art institutes (since 2012). The building was founded circa 1213 and consecrated in 1306 by the

bishop of Utrecht List of bishops and archbishops of the diocese and archdioceses of Utrecht. Medieval diocese from 695 to 1580 Founders of the Utrecht diocese * * * * * Bishops * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

with Saint Nicolas as its patron saint. After the Reformation in 1578, it became a

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...

church, which it remains today. It stands in

De Wallen De Wallen () or De Walletjes () is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam. It consists of a network of alleys containing approximately 300 one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a win ...

, now Amsterdam's main

red-light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are partic ...

. The square surrounding the church is the Oudekerksplein.

History

Oude Kerk (Amsterdam) - a church with a wodden roof

By around 1213, a wooden chapel had been erected at the location of today's Oude Kerk. Over time, this structure was replaced by a stone church that was consecrated in 1306. The church has seen a number of renovations performed by 15 generations of Amsterdam citizens. The church stood for only a half-century before the first alterations were made; the aisles were lengthened and wrapped around the choir in a half circle to support the structure. Not long after the turn of the 15th century, north and south

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building with ...

s were added to the church creating a cross formation. Work on these renovations was completed in 1460, though it is likely that progress was largely interrupted by the great fires that besieged the city in 1421 and 1452. This delayed the building for almost 1 year. Before the ''

Alteratie The Alteratie (Eng: Alteration) is the name given to the change of power in Amsterdam on May 26, 1578, when the Catholic city government was deposed in favor of a Protestant one. The coup should be seen in the context of the greater Dutch Revolt t ...

'', or

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 in ...

in Amsterdam of 1578, the Oude Kerk was

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

. Following

William the Silent William the Silent (24 April 153310 July 1584), also known as William the Taciturn (translated from nl, Willem de Zwijger), or, more commonly in the Netherlands, William of Orange ( nl, Willem van Oranje), was the main leader of the Dutch Re ...

’s defeat of the Spanish in the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Ref ...

, the church was taken over by the

Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, abbreviated NHK) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the original denomination of the Dutch Royal Family and ...

. Throughout the 16th-century battles, the church was looted and defaced on numerous occasions, first in the

Beeldenstorm ''Beeldenstorm'' () in Dutch and ''Bildersturm'' in German (roughly translatable from both languages as 'attack on the images or statues') are terms used for outbreaks of destruction of religious images that occurred in Europe in the 16th centu ...

of 1566, when a mob destroyed most of the church art and fittings, including an altarpiece with a central panel by

Jan van Scorel Jan van Scorel (1 August 1495 – 6 December 1562) was a Dutch painter, who played a leading role in introducing aspects of Italian Renaissance painting into Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting. He was one of the early painters of the Ro ...

and side panels painted on both sides by

Maarten van Heemskerck Maarten van Heemskerck or ''Marten Jacobsz Heemskerk van Veen'' (1 June 1498 - 1 October 1574) was a Dutch portrait and religious painter, who spent most of his career in Haarlem. He was a pupil of Jan van Scorel, and adopted his teacher's Itali ...

. Only the paintings on the ceiling, which were unreachable, were spared. Locals would gather in the church to gossip, peddlers sold their goods, and beggars sought shelter. This was not tolerated by the Calvinists, however, and the homeless were expelled. In 1681, the choir was closed-off with an oak screen. Above the screen is the text, ''The prolonged misuse of God's church, were here undone again in the year seventy-eight,'' referring to the Reformation of 1578. In that same year, the Oude Kerk became home to the registry of marriages. It was also used as the city archives; the most important documents were 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 bust of famous organist and composer

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck ( ; April or May, 1562 – 16 October 1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard compo ...

(1562–1621) celebrates the lifetime he spent playing in the church. His early career began at the age of fifteen when he succeeded his deceased father Pieter Swybertszoon as the Oude Kerk’s organist. He went on to compose music for all 150 Psalms and secured an international reputation as a leading Dutch composer. His music would also be played over the city from the church’s bell tower. He is buried in the church. Rembrandt marriage record

Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally cons ...

was a frequent visitor to the Oude Kerk and his children were all christened here. It is the only building in Amsterdam that remains in its original state since Rembrandt walked its halls. In the Holy Sepulchre is a small Rembrandt exhibition, a shrine to his wife

Saskia van Uylenburg Saskia van Uylenburgh ( fy, Saakje fan Uylenburgh; 2 August 1612 – 14 June 1642) was the wife of painter Rembrandt van Rijn. In the course of her life, she was his model for some of his paintings, drawings and etchings. She was the daug ...

h who was buried here in 1642. Each year on 9 March (8 March in leap years), at 8:39 am, the early morning sun briefly illuminates her tomb. An early spring breakfast event is held annually.

Structure

The church covers an area of some . The foundations were set on an artificial mound, thought to be the most solid ground of the settlement in this marshy province. The ceiling of the Oude Kerk is the largest medieval wooden

vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosure ...

in Europe. The

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, an ...

n oak planks date to 1390 and boast some of the best acoustics in Europe. The Oude Kerk contains 12

misericord A misericord (sometimes named mercy seat, like the biblical object) is a small wooden structure formed on the underside of a folding seat in a church which, when the seat is folded up, is intended to act as a shelf to support a person in a par ...

s, leaning posts installed underside folding seats.

Graves

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 2,500 graves in the Oude Kerk, under which are buried 10,000 Amsterdam citizens, including: *

Jacob van Heemskerck Jacob van Heemskerck (3 March 1567 – 25 April 1607) was a Dutch explorer and naval admiral. Early life Jacob van Heemskerck was born in Amsterdam in 1567. He is described as having delicate feature, large brown eyes, a thin high nose, ...

, naval hero *

, composer and organist *

Adriaen Block Adriaen (Arjan) Block (c. 1567 – buried April 27, 1627) was a Dutch private trader, privateer, and ship's captain who is best known for exploring the coastal and river valley areas between present-day New Jersey and Massachusetts during four v ...

, trader and explorer *

Catharina Questiers Catharina Questiers (21 November 16313 February 1669) was a Dutch poet and dramatist. Along with Cornelia van der Veer and Katharyne Lescailje she was the most successful female Dutch poet of the second half of the 17th century. Her brother D ...

, poet and dramatist * Jacob de Graeff Dircksz., Amsterdam regent *

Andries de Graeff Andries de Graeff (19 February 1611 – 30 November 1678) was a powerful member of the Amsterdam branch of the De Graeff - family during the Dutch Golden Age. He became a mayor of Amsterdam and a powerful Amsterdam regent after the death of his ...

, Amsterdam regent *

Cornelis de Graeff Cornelis de Graeff, also Cornelis de Graeff van (Zuid-)Polsbroek (15 October 1599 – 4 May 1664) was the most illustrious member of the De Graeff family. He was a mayor of Amsterdam from the Dutch Golden Age and a powerful Amsterdam regent after ...

, Amsterdam regent *

Catharina Hooft Catharina Pietersdr Hooft (28 December 1618 – 30 September 1691) was a woman of the Dutch Golden Age. She became famous at a very early age, when she was painted by Frans Hals. At the age of sixteen she married Cornelis de Graeff, ninet ...

, woman of the Dutch golden age * Pieter Lastman, painter *

Willem van der Zaan Willem van der Zaan (29 June 1621 – 17 March 1669) was a Dutch Admiral. His name is often given in the 17th century spelling Zaen. Biography Willem was born in Amsterdam. He joined the Dutch navy at a young age and had risen to the rank of ca ...

, Admiral *

Laurens Bake Laurens Bake or ''Baak'', ''Baeck'' (1629, Amsterdam – buried 18 December 1702, AmsterdamOther dates given are c.1650-1702 or even c.1650-1714, but the 1629 birth year is more in line with Joost Baeck and Magdalena van Erp's marriage in May 162 w ...

, poet *

Abraham van der Hulst Abraham van der Hulst (Amsterdam, 11 April 1619 – 12 June 1666) was a Dutch admiral in the 17th century. Van der Hulst was appointed extraordinary captain in 1650. He served as captain of ''Groningen'' in the First Anglo-Dutch War, being ...

, Admiral *

Saskia van Uylenburgh Saskia van Uylenburgh ( fy, Saakje fan Uylenburgh; 2 August 1612 – 14 June 1642) was the wife of painter Rembrandt van Rijn. In the course of her life, she was his model for some of his paintings, drawings and etchings. She was the daug ...

, Wife of Rembrandt *

Cornelis Hooft Cornelis Pietersz. Hooft (1547 – 1627 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch statesman and Amsterdam regent during the Golden Age. Life and Work Hooft was the son of the merchant Pieter Willemsz Hooft, and grandson of Pieter Willemsz. Hooft, a Zaanse ...

, statesman * Jan Jacobszoon Hinlopen, merchant * Kiliaen van Rensselaer, owner of the only successful

patroonship In the United States, a patroon (; from Dutch ''patroon'' ) was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland on the east coast of North America. Through the Charter of Freedoms ...

in New Netherland,

Rensselaerswyck The Manor of Rensselaerswyck, Manor Rensselaerswyck, Van Rensselaer Manor, or just simply Rensselaerswyck ( nl, Rensselaerswijck ), was the name of a colonial estate—specifically, a Dutch patroonship and later an English manor—owned by the va ...

. *

Frans Banninck Cocq Frans Banninck Cocq (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Banning), ''lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam'' (1605–1655) was a burgemeester (mayor), knight and military person of Amsterdam in the mid-17th century. He belonged to the wealthy and powerful ...

burgomaster Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chie ...

(mayor) of Amsterdam and central figure in

s masterpiece ''

The Night Watch ''Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq'', also known as ''The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch'', but commonly referred to as ''The Night Watch'' ( nl, De Nachtwacht), i ...

'' * Nicasius de Sille, Ambassador *

Caspar Commelijn Caspar Commelijn or Caspar Commelin (14 October 1668 Amsterdam – 25 December 1731 Amsterdam), was a Dutch botanist. Life and work He was the son of the bookseller, historian and publisher, Casparus Commelijn and his first wife, Margrieta Heyda ...

, botanist * Jan van der Heyden, painter and print maker * Johannes Hudde, burgomaster of Amsterdam and mathematician *

Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken (21 August 1721 – 19 October 1789) was a Dutch poet and playwright. Born in Amsterdam, she began writing occasional poetry and in her early twenties had published her first tragedy. Influenced by the Enlightenment ...

, dramatist and poet

Organs

The Oude Kerk holds four

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...

s, the old church organ built in 1658 and the cabinet organ built in 1767. The third was built by the German Christian Vater in 1724 and is regarded as one of the finest

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

organs in Europe. It was acknowledged by the church Commissioners as "perfect". The organ was dismantled whilst renovations were made to the church tower in 1738, and upon reassembling it,

Casper Müller Casper may refer to: People * Casper (given name) * Casper (surname) * Casper (Maya ruler) (422–487?), ruler of the Mayan city of Palenque * Tok Casper, first known king of Maya city-state Quiriguá in Guatemala, ruling beginning in 426 * David ...

made alterations to give the organ more force. It became known as the Vater-Müller organ, to acknowledge the improvement of sound. The fourth was constructed for the church by Organi Puccini of

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...

in 2010. Beginning in spring of 2019 the completely restored Vater-Müller organ will again be played.

Today

The Oude Kerk is now a centre for contemporary art and heritage. Artists including

Nicolas Jaar Nicolas Jaar (; ; es, Nicolás; born January 10, 1990) is a Chilean-American composer and recording artist based in New York. Among his notable works are the albums '' Space Is Only Noise'' (2011), ''Sirens'' (2016), and '' Cenizas'' (2020). H ...

Marinus Boezem Marinus Lambertus van den Boezem (born 28 January 1934) is a Dutch artist. He is known for his radical view of art and his works in public space. Together with Wim T. Schippers, Ger van Elk and Jan Dibbets, Boezem is seen as one of the main repre ...

Christian Boltanski Christian Liberté Boltanski (6 September 1944 – 14 July 2021) was a French sculptor, photographer, painter, and film maker. He is best known for his photography installations and contemporary French Conceptual art, conceptual style. Early li ...

Janet Cardiff Janet Cardiff (born March 15, 1957) is a Canadian artist who works chiefly with sound and sound installations, often in collaboration with her husband and partner George Bures Miller. Cardiff first gained international recognition in the art worl ...

and

George Bures Miller George Bures Miller (born 1960) is a Canadian artist noted for his collaborative works with his wife Janet Cardiff. Miller and Cardiff represented Canada at the 2001 Venice Biennale. They are based in British Columbia, Canada. Solo works Works ...

were commissioned by the Oude Kerk to create site-specific installations. The church also has a permanent exhibit on its history and that of the city of Amsterdam. In mid-March each year, Catholics arrive at the Oude Kerk to celebrate the " Miracle of Amsterdam" that occurred in 1345. After taking communion, a dying man vomited the Host. When his vomit was thrown into a fire, the Host did not burn and was proclaimed a miracle. The Host was put in a chest and installed at the Oude Kerk; however, it disappeared during the

Gallery

File:Bronze relief Oudekerksplein Amsterdam.jpg, Bronze relief in the cobblestone of ''Oudekerksplein''. File:Old Church - Old Profession.jpg, Prostitutes' windows on the ''Oudekerksplein'' behind the Oude Kerk. File:Sex worker statue Oudekerksplein Amsterdam.jpg, Bronze statue ''Belle'' in front of the Oude Kerk. Inscription says "Respect sex workers all over the world." File:Oude Kerk.jpg, Tower File:Orgel_Oude_Kerk.jpg, The baroque underside of the main organ. File:Interior of the Oude Kerk.JPG, Interior of the Oude Kerk. File:Cornelis Dommelshuizen A Capriccio View Of Amsterdam.jpg,

Cornelis Christiaan Dommersen Cornelis Christiaan Dommersen (Dommershuijzen), ( Utrecht, 11 November 1842 – The Hague, 23 May 1928) was a Dutch painter and watercolourist. He signed his work as C.C. Dommershuizen, Chr. Dommelshuizen, Christian Dommelshuizen and C. Dommers ...

a Capriccio view of Oude Kerk, 1875. File:Oude Kerke misericord.jpg, Misericord

References

External links

Oude Kerk
– official site
Oude Kerk congregation
– Protestant congregation of the Oude Kerk
Typisch Amsterdams – Oude Kerk
– history and architecture of the Oude Kerk.
Amsterdam Oude Kerk Organs
– Visitor's information and details about Oude Kerk's organs and history {{Authority control Bell towers in the Netherlands Churches in Amsterdam Rijksmonuments in Amsterdam 1213 establishments in Europe Towers in Amsterdam