The Oude Church

• If you plan on visiting this church, make sure to carry your credit/debit cards as admission is only accepted through cards.

The Stille Omgang or the “Miracle of Amsterdam” is an event which occurred sometime around 1345 continues to attract tourists all over the world. It is a Catholic procession which takes place in the middle of March every year and is attended by a massive crowds of Catholics.

Oude Kerk’s stunning interior was stripped of its magnificence after it was plundered by the Calvinist, who destroyed most of the art and images with any hint of Catholicism. The interiors then retained a sober look after the Protestant Reformation. However, the arched ceiling with a few 15th-century paintings still intact, the stained glass windows of the church and a 17th-century four-pipe organ form the attractions of this place. Famed painter, Rembrandt and his family were frequent visitors of this church and a shrine dedicated to his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh stands within the walls of the church.

Prior to the church, a wooden chapel stood in its foundation for over 800 years on the banks of the river, Amstel. It was later consecrated in 1306 and named De Oude Kerk in the 15th Century. This church was originally a Roman Catholic place of worship studded with beautiful decorations and paintings which were later stripped in the late 16th Century by the Protestants. With the Calvinism gaining momentum in the Netherlands, this place was transformed into a Calvinist church, as it continues to remain today.