★★★★★ 5.0
Discover
Oude Kerk Amsterdam
The year is 1566 and an angry mob storms through those heavy wooden doors, smashing altars and destroying priceless artwork... but they couldn't reach the ceiling. Standing here at Oudekerksplein 23, you're looking at Amsterdam's oldest building – founded way back in 1213 on what was literally a sand bank used as a burial ground. That Gothic facade you see? It's hiding Europe's largest medieval wooden vault, crafted from Estonian oak planks in 1390. Here's what most tourists miss – every step you take inside is on tombstones, including one belonging to Saskia van Uylenburgh, Rembrandt's beloved wife. The church literally sits on top of an ancient cemetery. And yes, we're smack in the middle of the Red Light District – there's even a bronze statue out front called Belle, honoring sex workers. Only in Amsterdam would you find a 800-year-old sacred space surrounded by... well, let's call it "different" kinds of worship. What makes this place truly special is that when those iconoclasts went crazy destroying Catholic art, the gilded ceiling paintings survived simply because the mob couldn't climb that high. So today, you can still see medieval masterpieces that were literally saved by gravity. The young Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck played organ here from age 15 – his music still echoes in these walls during the annual Sweelinck Festival each summer.
Did You Know?
- The Oude Kerk is the oldest building in Amsterdam—its foundation dates to the early 13th century, and it was officially consecrated in 1306, making it a living witness to the city’s transformation from a small fishing village to a global trading hub.
- Beneath your feet as you walk through the Oude Kerk are over 2,000 gravestones, the final resting place of around 10,000 Amsterdam citizens, including Saskia van Uylenburgh, the wife of the famous painter Rembrandt—who, in a twist of history, had to sell the rights to her grave due to financial hardship.
- Hidden within the church is the mysterious 'Iron Chapel,' a secret room accessible only by ladder and multiple keys, where important city documents—including Amsterdam’s 1275 toll privilege—were once kept under tight security, adding a layer of intrigue to the church’s storied past.