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Basilica of Saint Nicholas
This Catholic basilica sits smack in the middle of Amsterdam's Red Light District, yet it's been the city's most sacred space since 1887. I know, right? Talk about divine irony! You're looking at architect Adrianus Bleijs' masterpiece, but here's what most visitors miss - he had to flip the entire building sideways because of the cramped urban site, so instead of the traditional east-west axis, this beauty runs northwest to southeast. Want to know something wild? Those Catholics worshipped in secret attics for over 200 years before they could build this place. And just three years ago in 2021, they received an actual piece of Saint Nicholas's rib bone that's been safeguarded since 1087. As you step inside, you'll see why locals call this our "hidden cathedral" - those neo-Baroque towers and rose window have been watching over Amsterdam's most notorious neighborhood for over a century.
Did You Know?
- The Basilica of Saint Nicholas is Amsterdam’s primary Roman Catholic church and, as of 2023, also a co-cathedral—meaning it serves as a second seat for the bishop alongside Haarlem’s St. Bavo Cathedral, a historic step marking the city’s 750th anniversary and a symbolic end to centuries of Catholic marginalization after the Protestant Reformation.
- The church’s striking design blends Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance styles, a unique fusion for Amsterdam, and was the work of architect Adrianus Bleijs in the late 19th century; its unusual northwest–southeast orientation (rather than the traditional east–west) was required by its urban location near the city’s main train station.
- Inside, the basilica houses a rare relic—a fragment of St. Nicholas’s rib, gifted from Egmond Abbey in 2021, making it a special destination for pilgrims and adding to its spiritual significance; the church is also adorned with stunning stained glass windows and a gold-leaf Baroque main altar, offering a visual feast for visitors of all ages.