The Oude Kerk was just a few hundred meters away and about five minutes walk from the hotel we stayed at. Since I had a free time, I decided to walk on Warmoesstraat to see the oldest building in Amsterdam. The streets were sprawling with lot of people. However, what stood out the most for my tourist eyes were the people riding bicycles in this bicycle-friendly city.
The Oude Kerk (“old church”) was Amsterdam’s oldest parish church and the oldest building in Amsterdam. It had seen several renovations in over 15 generations. The building itself is 811-year-old! Per wiki, by around 1213, a wooden chapel had been erected at the location of today’s Oude Kerk. Over time, this structure was replaced by a stone church that was consecrated in 1306.
It has a huge impressive clock tower and a nice Spire section. On one side there are some more modern houses adjoining it which actually adds to its curiosity.
It is estimated that 60000 people have been buried over time beneath the church, so almost the whole floor is covered in grave slabs. They say that the first wife of the artist Rembrandt who was called Saskia was buried here.
All the pews are taken out, so the church is now empty except for the impressive Vater-Müller organ and the canopy over the pulpit. It is now used as an art exhibition space where you pay an entrance fee to audio tour the building.
It is located alongside a canal in the middle of Amsterdam’s Red Light district, but is very safe per locals.
