Oude Kerk (Old Church)

You're standing in front of the oldest and arguably one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. The Oude Kerk, or Old Church, has been here since the 13th century, with construction wrapping up around 1306 or 1307. That's a long time to be standing in one place. But here's something worth thinking about as you look down at the ground around you. You're essentially standing on a giant cemetery. Beneath the church floor, people are buried up to 5 layers deep. Thousands of Amsterdammers have made this place their final resting spot, which gives the whole building a slightly different atmosphere once you know that. 

One of the most famous people connected to this church is Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, the greatest Dutch composer of the Golden Age. He played the organ here practically every single day of his working life, filling these walls with music for decades. The church also went through a dramatic religious transformation in 1578, when Amsterdam switched from Catholic to Protestant in what became known as the Alteration. It was a turbulent and fascinating chapter in the city's history, and we'll dive much deeper into that story at the next stop.