Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) is the oldest building in Amsterdam. It started as a small wooden chapel in 1213 butt, by 1300 it had been replaced by a stone church. It was consecrated in 1306, with Saint Nicholas as its patron saint. The church has since seen a number of renovations, becoming the imponent building we see today.
With the Reformation movement, the church, once Roman Catholic, was taken over by the Calvinists. Roman Catholics eventually built Saint Nicholas church, nearby, in the 19th century.
The church covers an area of about 3300 m2 and the roof is the largest medieval wooden vault in Europe.

Opening hours: Mon. to Sat. 10 am to 6 pm; Sun 1 pm to 5.30 pm.

Tickets:€10 (debit cards only, no cash)

Painting of Oude Kerk at the Amsterdam Museum, Emanuel de Witte 1661






Local: De Wallen, Amsterdã, Holanda

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Church of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
The church of Santa Maria de Belém originated from the expansion,  ordered by Henry the Navigator in the 15th century,  of a previous hermitage built on the site. The new church was trusted to the Order of Christ- of which Henry the Navigator was the Grand Master- to help the seamen that passed by Belém, as the hermitage had done before. In 1501, by order of King D. Manuel I, the Monastery of the Hieronymites started being built and the small church was totally remodelled in the Manueline and Renaissance styles. It was the king's wish that the church should become a pantheon for the dynasty (Avis-Beja) started by him, and that it continued to help the travellers passing through Belém. Like the Monastery, the church was significantly restored in the 19th century. Inside the church are the tombs of several historical figures: Luís de Camões, one of Portugal's greatest poets who lived in the 16th century, Vasco da Gama, the first navigator to go to In...
Read more

Archaeological excavations in Lisbon's Cathedral Cloister, Portugal

Image
Archaeological excavations in Lisbon's Cathedral Cloister started in 1990. These excavations have unearthed remnants of human presence since the Iron Age.It's possible to see the remains of a Roman road with shops on both sides. This road would have connected the Roman Theater to the port area. From the Roman period, there's also part of a kitchen and a "cloaca" (sewage system).From later periods there are traces of Visigothic buildings and a very visible part of a Moorish building with red walls, probably related with the Mosque that once stood on the site where Lisbon's cathedral was built. Opening hours : 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ticket (standard) : €2.5 (€4 combined with the Treasury), cash only. Roman road and shops. Roman sewage system close to a Moorish public building. Moorish building.
Read more

The Gates of Mdina, Malta

Image
Mdina walls have three gates: the Mdina Gate, the Greeks Gate and the Gharreqin Gate. The Main Gate, also known as Vilhena gate, was built in 1724, under Grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, who in 1722 ordered the renovation and restoration of Mdina. The courtyard behind the main gate was demolished to make way for the Vilhena Palace and a new gate had to be built, a few meters to the left of the old one, which was walled up. The Gate has reliefs of Saint Agatha, Saint Paul and Saint Publius, the three patron saints of Malta. The Greeks Gate is the oldest of the three Gates, dating back to medieval times. It was also renovated in 1724 when an outer portal was built in the baroque style. It is known as the Greeks Gate because a small community of Greeks once lived by the gate. For many years it was the only gate by which the slaves were allowed to enter Mdina. The Gharreqin Gate is the less known and most recent of the three Gates. It was excavated in...
Read more

Martim Moniz Square, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
According to legend, Martim Moniz was a knight in D. Afonso Henrique's army during the city's reconquest in 1147 (D. Afonso Henriques was the first king of Portugal). Seeing one of the gates open he threw himself into the breach, allowing for the invading army to enter at the cost of his own life. Martim Moniz square results from the demolition of Lower Mouraria in the mid 20th century, including the street after which the square is named. Only the chapel of Our Lady of Good Health survived the demolition. In the 90s the city council decided to make the toponym official and maintain the homage to the hero of questionable existence. During many years the square looked very degraded, until 2012, when the city council decided to renovate, adding new kiosks and esplanades. This square is also known as Lisbon's Chinatown, due to the existence of many Chinese and Indian shopkeepers. The fountain is a reference to the old wall, of which only an unrecognizable tower rem...
Read more