Amsterdam's Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) sits on a
corner of the Dam, next to the Royal Palace. It was built in the
late 14th century when Oude Kerk became too small for the city.
Its contruction was approved in 1408 by the bishop of Utrecht,
however the Nieuwe Kerk had already been under construction since
the 1380s. The church was damaged by fires and restored numerous
times throughout the centuries. Its architecture as we see it
today is predominantly Gothic. Many famous Dutch-men are buried
inside the church. Also inside, the beautiful pulpit is considered
a baroque masterpiece; it was made by Albert Vinckenbrinck and his
pupils which took 13 years to finish it. Equally beautiful is the
organ; don't forget to take a look at it. The church has been the
place for coronation for the kings and queens of Netherlands since
1814 when the coronation of King William I took place here. Like
in many Protestant churches, exhibitions, concerts and conferences
are held inside the church. In fact Nieuwe Kerk even has a cafe,
"t nieuwe cafe", which occupies a corner of the church and opens
into the square. When I visited they had an interesting exhibition
called "Love from the Hermitage" with works of art on the theme
of love from the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
