Zuiderkerk
The Zuiderkerk (“South Church”) is the first Protestant church that was built in the city of Amsterdam and one of the city’s most spectacular churches. It located in the Nieuwmarkt area the heart of the city and is definitely worth visiting.
The Zuiderkerk was built in Amsterdam Renaissance style between 1603 and 1611, while the spectacular tower which dominates the church as well as the surroundings was completed in 1614. The church was designed by Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser who is also buried in the church. He designed a pseudo-basilica with a central nave and two side aisles, while the tower is a square substructure and contains a carillon of bells built by the brothers Pieter and Francois Hemony.
The church was used for religious services until 1929. During the last winter of World War II it temporally served as a morgue. In 1970 the Zuiderkerk was closed because of the danger of collapsing. It went through extensive renovations in the late 1970’s and serves as the city’s information centre since 1988. It also houses various exhibitions along with the permanent exhibition which includes a model of the city of Amsterdam as envisioned in year 2020. The church also houses the Wall of Fame which is a homage to the Dutch celebrities. The Zuiderkerk is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday, while the tower is open from Tuesday to Sunday during the summer months only.