Nieuwe Kerk (Amsterdam)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nieuwe Kerk (English: New Church) is a 15th century church in Amsterdam.
The church is used for royal coronations, most recently the crowning of Queen Beatrix in 1980, and royal weddings, most recently the wedding of crown prince Willem-Alexander to princess Máxima in 2002.
The Nieuwe Kerk is a burial site for Dutch naval heroes, including Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, Commodore Jan van Galen and Jan van Speyk. The poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel is also buried in the church.
The Nieuwe Kerk is located on Dam Square, next to the Royal Palace. The bishop of Utrecht gave permission to build the church in 1408 because the Oude Kerk ("Old Church") had grown too small for the growing population of the city. The Nieuwe Kerk was consecrated to St. Mary and St. Catharine.
The church was damaged by the city fires of 1421 and 1452 and burned down almost entirely in 1645, after which it was rebuilt in gothic style. It underwent major renovation in 1892–1914, which added many neo-gothic details, and was again renovated in 1959–1980.
Today, the church is no longer used for services but is now a popular exhibition space. It is also used for organ recitals.
[edit] External links
- Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam (English)
- Nieuwe Kerk (from circa 1400 onwards) (English) at the Amsterdam Heritage website
