Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is a Protestant church and only remnant of the medieval city of Rotterdam. The church was built between 1449 and 1525. In 1621 a wooden spire was added to the tower, designed by Hendrick de Keyser. Poor quality of its wood caused the spire to be demolished in 1645. A stone cube was added to the tower, which proved too heavy for the foundation in 1650. New piles were driven under the tower and in 1655 the tower stood straight again.

This church was the first all stone building in Rotterdam. Many important events took place here. The last priest of the Laurenkerk was Hubertus Duifhuis. The Reformation took place in 1572 and the Laurenskerk became a Protestant church. Ministers of the church include Laurens Johannes Jacobus van Oosterzee, Abraham Hellenbroek, Jan Scharp and J.R. Callenbach, who wrote a book about the history of the church a few years before the Rotterdam Blitz. The church is still used for worship of the Protestant Church.

In the Rotterdam Blitz on May 14, 1940 the Laurenskerk was heavily damaged. At first there were calls to demolish the church, but that was stopped by the Germans. The provisional National Monuments Commission had both supporters and opponents of restoration. In particular, committee member and architect J.J.P. Oud opposed rebuilding in 1950 and presented an alternative plan which would preserve only the tower. Next to the memorial a new, smaller church would be built. This alternative plan was rejected, particularly because restoration of the Laurenskerk was viewed as a symbol of the resilience of Rotterdam's community. In 1952, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands laid the foundation stone for the restoration, which was completed in 1968.

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Founded: 1449-1525
Category: Religious sites in Netherlands

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4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

pijnacker01 (7 months ago)
The only surviving medieval building, the tower of this church, after the terrible bombings in WWII. Great views of Rotterdam on top of the tower!
E S (8 months ago)
One of the most glorious churches in the Europe's cities. An interesting concept for visitors behind the main altar. Magnificent gothic style to admire.
Deepak Raj (8 months ago)
Church has its beautiful look..?? The inner architecture was amazing,? What ever religion you are get inside and close your eyes for some time, you will feel refreshed ❤️ And the church bell ? ?? that is a acoustic... It's totally a WoW church...? must visit this church when visiting rotterdam
Dr Win Sutanto (9 months ago)
A magnificent church and one of Rotterdam's iconic buildings. Photos taken during the performance of St Matthew Passion on 24/3/24. Magnificent!
Ali Sakin (9 months ago)
I was in this church once for the Dutch Liberation Day. Oh my God, I experienced an unforgettable atmosphere. I thought I was in the Bloodbourne game. The interesting part was that the name of the character in the game was Laurance. The hymns or songs sung in chorus were almost the same as the music of the play. Thank you, Rotterdam, for that beautiful day.
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