The New Church

Next to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam is the Nieuwe Kerk, a church of royal allure. The church is the venue for official royal ceremonies, such as inaugurations of heads of state and wedding ceremonies. The interior of the Nieuwe Kerk has undergone many changes over the years. After the great fire in 1645, the interior was restored and embellished with interior parts from different centuries.

Remarkably, the name "New Church" sounds strange for a building from the 15th century. Originally, the name was used to distinguish it from the thirteenth-century "Old Church". The city grew rapidly and the church on the "old side" of the Damrak could no longer accommodate all the churchgoers. A second parish church on the "new side" of the city was therefore built as a necessity. A parish church is often the epicentre of a religious area. It is often seen as the "main church" in a particular area. Willem Eggert, a wealthy man at the time, donated the space next to his orchard as building land. In 1408, the new house of worship received episcopal approval and a year later, when construction was completed, the church was consecrated to St Catherine.

At two different times, an attempt was made to build a large church tower. As Amsterdam changed from a Catholic to a Protestant mindset, the plans soon ran out of room. After the great fire, another attempt was made and the tower was to be even higher than the 112-metre-high Dom Tower in Utrecht. Because the cost of building the new city hall was higher than planned, a line went through the project.

Besides royal ceremonies and church services, the Nieuwe Kerk has another important function. Namely, it is the setting for the World Press Photo exhibition, one of the best-visited exhibition venues in the Netherlands with some 250,000 visitors a year.

Discover centuries of history and majestic architecture at Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk. Get your ticket here:
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