Echoes of Reformation. This is the Oude Lutherse Kerk. Right here on the Singel.
In 1588 Amsterdam’s Lutheran community was founded. It was a significant event. This church wasn’t the first. The first was built much earlier in 1633. This grand building however stands as a testament to the enduring faith of the community. It’s a beautiful building isn’t it?
The Amsterdam Lutheran church was historically the largest and most important in the Netherlands. It remains so today. Many buildings in Amsterdam reflect the city’s once large Lutheran population. About twenty percent of Amsterdam’s population was Lutheran in the 17th century. That’s a remarkable number.
The Oude Lutherse Kerk. Built between 1632 and 1633 under the supervision of Wessel Becker and Willem van Daelen. It stands on the site of a former Lutheran house church. It wasn’t always this large. They started small in a warehouse. They bought nearby buildings expanding the church’s size over time.
The church’s foundation settled over time. A major restoration was needed in 1925. Architect A A Kok raised the floor. He removed the graves. The original stained-glass windows had already been replaced in 1774. Further restoration work in 1984-1986 mostly returned the interior to its original state.
The church’s interior is rectangular. Galleries surround it. They rest on Ionic and Tuscan columns. Doric columns support the roof. The pulpit dates back to 1640. Quite a history contained within these walls.
The Oude Lutherse Kerk isn’t only a place of worship. It hosts other events too. In 1790 the Society for the Benefit of the General Public held its first general meeting here. After a decline in regular church attendance the church and annexes were rented to the University of Amsterdam in 1961. The university uses the church as an auditorium. A nearby building houses the Tetterode library. A special architectural library of KPC de Bazel.
The Oude Lutherse Kerk. A vibrant place. A living legacy of Amsterdam’s rich Lutheran heritage. A place that echoes with the voices of generations past and present. A remarkable site you are experiencing right now.