Oude Kerk
Oude Kerk
Historically valuable
Oude Kerk Amsterdam
This church has a rich history, being one of the oldest well-preserved buildings in Amsterdam. It also occasionally hosts art exhibitions and is located right next to the Red Light District!
My Rating:
The Positives:
Small exhibitions, gravestones, the location... That's what makes visiting the church interesting!
The Negatives:
But, like the Nieuwe Kerk, it still lacks that certain something... Apart from the fact that it's right next to the red-light district.
Last Modified: 25.03.2026 | Céline
Oude Kerk
Tickets
The details
at a glance
I Amsterdam Card
Free entry to the Oude Kerk with the I Amsterdam Card!
Time slot reservation required. (Simply select the I Amsterdam Card option)
-> More information about the card
Oude Kerk Amsterdam
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
The so-called “Old Church” is in fact the oldest church in Amsterdam. Here you’ll see more historic elements and church furnishings than in the Nieuwe Kerk, probably because the Oude Kerk was never completely destroyed by fire.
What shouldn’t you miss?
In the centre, impossible to overlook, is the organ! It was built from 1724 by Christian Vater, who also constructed the organ in the Westerkerk. It was expanded in 1742, with further modifications made in 1869–70. The organ was most recently restored between 2015 and 2019. So it’s almost 300 years old—and you can tell! In the best possible way, as it has been wonderfully preserved.
Another eye-catching feature is the four bells hanging in the bell chamber, representing Faith, Love, Hope, and Freedom. Remarkably, they are still rung by hand—no electricity, no timers!
The Oude Kerk also contains graves—around 2,500 in total, in which roughly 10,000 Amsterdam citizens are buried. You can hardly miss the gravestones as you walk through the church… they’re everywhere!
Today, the Oude Kerk also functions as an exhibition space: whether contemporary art, explorations of time and space, architecture, or “old” art, the church regularly hosts exhibitions.
The location of the church is striking as well: it sits right next to Amsterdam’s Red Light District. There is even a bronze sculpture on its grounds depicting a prostitute.
Oude Kerk
A bit of history
The Oude Kerk is the oldest building in Amsterdam, having been constructed from the 13th century onwards. Originally, there was a wooden chapel with a small cemetery on the site. In the second half of the 13th century, the wooden church was replaced by a stone structure. From around 1300, it was transformed into a three-aisled hall church, where the side aisles are as high as the central nave, essentially under the same roof. This gives the building a larger, more airy feel. Further extensions and enlargements followed up until the 16th century, when the nave was heightened and the tower enlarged.
In 1566, there was a dramatic interlude: the medieval interior fell victim to the Reformation’s iconoclastic fury. Sculptures depicting Christ and the saints, along with other church decorations—including organs—were removed. After this, the Catholic Oude Kerk became a Protestant church. Between 1584 and 1611, it even served as a stock exchange, much like the Nieuwe Kerk, which was also used as a trading hall.
The Nieuwe Kerk, by the way, was built in the 14th century after Amsterdam continued to grow and the Oude Kerk could no longer accommodate all the worshippers.
By 1951, the Oude Kerk was at serious risk of collapse, leading to an extensive restoration and repair project that lasted 24 years. Between 1994 and 1998, further restoration work was carried out.
Official website of the Old Church (EN): oudekerk.nl
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2021–2026
