What if I told you that the Sint-Agneskerk almost didn’t survive? This Catholic parish church stands at the corner of Amstelveenseweg and Cornelis Krusemanstraat. It borders the Willemspark neighborhood. Sint-Agneskerk is dedicated to Saint Agnes. She was a martyred saint.
Built between 1919 and 1932, Jan Stuyt designed it. In 1996, it was designated as a Rijksmonument. This means it is a building of national importance. Interestingly, it was the first church in Amsterdam with a freestanding bell tower.
The Priesterbroederschap van Sint-Pieter has served the Sint-Agneskerk since 2006. Sint-Agneskerk began as a daughter church. It branched off from the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe van de Allerheiligste Rozenkranskerk. Locals know that church better as the Obrechtkerk.
Amsterdam-Zuid expanded greatly in 1917. This was due to Berlage’s Plan Zuid. The growing city needed a new Catholic parish. In 1919, Bishop A.J. Callier appointed L.Th.M. Snelders as the building pastor. Jan Stuyt was chosen to design the church. He had previously worked on the Obrechtkerk with Jos Cuypers. Stuyt modeled the Agneskerk after old Christian basilicas in Rome. It bears resemblance to the Sint-Agnes buiten de muren in Rome. The freestanding tower recalls an Italian campanile.
Financial constraints caused the church to be built in two phases. The first phase occurred from 1919 to 1920. During this time, workers built the nave and side aisles. They temporarily closed the east side of the nave with a wall. This created a temporary priest’s choir and side altars. On October 24, 1921, the church opened. The dean of Amsterdam, Mgr. Th. Bosman, consecrated it.
The second phase spanned from 1930 to 1932. This added the transept, priest’s choir and bell tower. It also included the baptistery, rectory and shop on Cornelis Krusemanstraat. Bishop Johannes Aengenent consecrated the completed church. The ceremony took place on March 16, 1932.
Church attendance declined in the late 1960s. By the 1970s and 1980s, many Amsterdam parishes suffered. The Agnesparochie was one of them. Plans arose to demolish the church for new buildings. These included expensive apartments and a large parking lot. In 1978, the Werkgroep Behoud de Agneskerk formed. They fought to save the church. Various alternative uses were considered but never implemented. In 1996, it finally achieved national monument status.
From 2006, the Tridentine Rite has also been celebrated here. Since Easter 2009, the Tridentine Rite has been almost exclusively used. Pater Martin Kroman Knudsen FSSP became the church’s administrator. In 2011, the bishop elevated the rectory to a religious house. The new community was named after Saint Boniface.
The Agneskerk underwent complete exterior restoration in 2015-2016. The roof and gutters were badly neglected since 1970. Plans are underway to restore the interior. This will return the church to its original state.
The Sint-Agneskerk stands as a testament to faith. It also shows the power of community action. Its history reflects both artistic vision and spiritual dedication. Take a moment to appreciate its enduring beauty. Think about the people who fought to preserve this sacred space.