1. Sacred Destinations
2. Netherlands
3. Sacred Sites in the Netherlands

Sacred Sites in the Netherlands

Below is an illustrated index of the sacred sites and religious places in the Netherlands profiled so far on Sacred Destinations, listed in alphabetical order by name. Please note this list is far from comprehensive - many more great sites remain to be added. You can also view these sites on an interactive map of the Netherlands.

• Anne Frank House
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  During WW II, eight people from three families lived together in this house in near total silence for more than two years. Visiting the rooms where Anne Frank hid is a moving experience that brings her familiar words to life.
• Begijnhof
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Dating from the early 14th century, this picturesque enclosed courtyard contains a Reformed Church and hidden Catholic chapel. It provides a serene oasis in the center of the city.
• Bible Museum
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  In Amsterdam's Bible Museum, visitors can explore biblical history and geography in a variety of objects, images, and installations. It also provides a rare opportunity to tour a 17th-century canal house.
• Chinese Buddhist Temple
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Jewish Historical Museum
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Housed in the 17th-century Great Synagogue of Amsterdam, this excellent museum displays Jewish art, religious objects, historical artifacts, and multimedia presentations.
• Church of Our Lord in the Attic
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  This Catholic church in a canal house of the Red Light District is the only surviving schuilkerken(clandestine church) that dates from the Reformation, when open Catholic worship was outlawed.
• Nieuwe Kerk
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  The New Church is a 14th century Gothic church located next to the royal palace. It functions as the national church of the Netherlands, hosting inaugurations and special exhibitions.
• Oude Kerk
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Located alongside a canal in the Red Light District, the Oude Kerk is the oldest monument in Amsterdam, dating from 1250. Inside it has painted wooden ceilings, box pews and choir stalls with misericords.
• Portuguese Synagogue
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  This grand Ionic-style synagogue was built in 1665 by Sephardic Jews who had fled Spain and Portugal for tolerant Amsterdam. Still in active use, it is lit by large, low-hanging brass chandeliers with 1,000 candles.
• Westerkerk
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  The Renaissance-style Westerkerk (West Church) shelters the remains of Rembrandt and his son, Titus, and is where in 1966 Princess (now Queen) Beatrix and Prince Claus said their marriage vows.
• Zuiderkerk
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Beautiful enough to have inspired both Sir Christopher Wren and Monet, the 17th-century Zuiderkerk (South Church) was Amsterdam's first Protestant church.
• Hooglandse Kerk
  Leiden, Netherlands
  Located on high ground, the cross-shaped Highlands Church was founded in the 14th century. Although emptied of its art by Calvinists, its elegant architecture and tombstones are worth seeing.
• Lokhorstkerk
  Leiden, Netherlands
  The Lokhorstkerk is a modest building with a classical facade in Leiden. A "clandestine" church, it was built in the 17th century by the Mennonites.
• Marekerk
  Leiden, Netherlands
  Designed in 1639 for a Protestant congregation, the Marekerk is a good example of Dutch Classicism.
• National Museum of Antiquities
  Leiden, Netherlands
  The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden is the largest museum of antiquities in the Netherlands. The collection includes ancient Egyptian, Persian, Roman, medieval and other artifacts.
• Pieterskerk
  Leiden, Netherlands
  The Pieterskerk (St. Peter's Church) is a Gothic church built between 1390 and 1565 and now deconsecrated. Several Leiden notables are buried here, including Pilgrim pastor John Robinson, theologian Jacobus Arminius and painter Jan Steen.
• Leiden American Pilgrim Museum
  Leiden, Netherlands
  Occupying a historic house in central Leiden, this small museum recreates the Pilgrims' 11 years of residence in Leiden before they left for the New World.
• Vrouwekerk
  Leiden, Netherlands
  Ruins of a 14th-century church with connections to the Pilgrim Fathers, now in danger of demolition.