 | Leiden Churches Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 29 |  |
Halfway Haarlemmerstraat is the Hartebrug church. One of the typical 'waterstaat' churches about which I explain at length on my Amsterdam page (Moses and Aaron church). It was built with government money because the church communities were too poor to do this. The reformed churches had confiscated the beautiful really old churches and so the catholics had to resort to new buildings once they were allowed to practise publicly again.
The church front shows a Latin text saying: Hic Domus Dei est et Porta Coeli meaning This is the house of God and the gate to heaven. People usually call this church the Koeliekerk. Leave a Comment
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I loved the inside of this Cathedral. Whenever I look at this picture I feel as if men in Top Hats and women in gowns should be dancing here!
Update: September 2006 - Went back to Leiden and attended a wedding and it's reception here. Still no men in top hats but it was a beautiful setting and I've added some photos to prove it! Leave a Comment
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Cross the bridge over the Rapenburg here. And enter into the Kloksteeg. This street is taking you to the Pieterskerk.
The Gotic Pieterskerk was the main church in Leiden. From 1121 there was a chapel on this spot. It was the chapel of the Counts of Holland, in their backyard. The church, as it is now, started from 1390. The first tower was 120 meters high. It collapsed in 1512 and was never rebuilt.
Due to the Reformation the church came into protestant hands in 1572. This meant all the rich catholic artpieces were destroyed. Only one altarpiece of Lucas van Leyden survived, it is now in the citymuseum the Lakenhal.
The building is no longer in use as a church, but it is now used for cultural purposes.
In the chuirch you will find the graves of many famous people, like the painter Jan Steen, the family of Rembrandt, and the leader of the Pilgrim Fathers John Robinson.
The Pulgrim Fathers fled england, where they were persued for their faith. Leiden (as most of Holland) was very tolerant and like many other faiths they found refuge here. They lived here for 12 years. Then they became irritated by the tolerance that first sheltered them. They thought there was too much freedom here and moved to the New World (today USA) around 1620.
During our citywalk the church was hidden behind buildingmaterial, as renovation is going on. But in januari 2006, we will visit a travelfair there, and make some pictures from the inside. Leave a Comment
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Hooglandsekerk is a really beautiful building. As it is seen from the citadel, the church is really impressive. It got its name from the relatively high location (Hoog) and it is really hard to miss it.
The Hooglandsekerk was supposed to be a place for the Bishop of Holland, but this plan didn't work out.
Comparing it to all the other churches it is really difficult to appreciate it from inside. It is simply empty. But the architecture is still amazing and I definitely recommend you to visit this church if you happen to be in Leiden. Leave a Comment Address: Middelweg
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Leiden has many churches, but Mare Kerk is different from all of them in its interesting shape. It was built in 1639, 10 years later it got its beuatiful stone-gate.
As you walk along the Oud Vest, along the canal, you won't be able to miss it. Pay attention to its impressive dome, it has the shape of octagone and each part gives your directions. And don't forget to pay attaention to the Marebrug (Mare bridge) if you go to church from the river side. Leave a Comment Address: Lange Mare
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Pass the Waag and go right over the bridge. Straight ahead you cross a street to come to the Haarlemmerstraat, the shopping street in Leiden citycenter. Right in friont of you is the Hartebrug Church.
In 1830 centuries after the reformation Pastor Goffers still held church services in his hiding church in the Haarlemmerstraat. After the reformation catholic churches were forbidden in Leiden and the north of the Netherlands. But the churches went in hiding, they held services in dark attics. In 1830 it was long over, there was a freedom of religion.
The Pastor wanted more space to receive more believers. He found a building in an other part of the street. But the building belonged to a protestant, he wouldn't sell it to a catholic church. Pastor Goffers used a friend to buy it. Then the story spread this friend was really buying it for the church. The pastor sent carpenters to the old hiding church, to keep up appearances. The protestant believed the old church ws renovated and the rumor was not true, he sold the building. In 1836 a new church designed by Th. Molkenboer stood on the spot . The motto in golden characters on the facade ( Hic Domus Dei est et Porta Coeli) mean: this is the house of God and the gate to heaven.
Most of the time the church is open and you can see the classicistic interior. Leave a Comment
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There are many old churches in Leiden
These churches are mostly protestant and date from various periods. Often, they have famous antique organs. Leave a Comment Address: picture: HooglandsekerkOther Contact: In the travelogue
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Apparently church communities where very poor in the 19th century so the government helped with the financials when a new church was build. But in order to make sure that these subsidies where well spent, the government made sure officials from the civil service were present during the construction. That's why the architecture of the churches from around this period are also referred to as 'waterstaatstijl' (Rijkswaterstaat is a special department of the civil service).
It is strange to know about the churches being poor at the time this church was build, becasue it looks so rich from the outside (i have no idea what it looks like inside though, didn't check). Leave a Comment
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