Hooglandse kerk

An imposing, late Gothic cross basilica that has been decorating the heart of Leiden for centuries. A monument with a turbulent history.

The Hooglandse Kerk stands on the spot where the Oude- and Nieuwe Rijn merge. The history of the Hooglandse Kerk begins in the 14th century, when it was only a wooden chapel. Soon this building was replaced by a stone church with turret. However, the growth of Leiden caused more and more merchants and craftsmen to settle in the city. This results in the need for a larger church. And there came. In 1480 they decided to build a huge church. At the height of the Middle Ages, the Hooglandse Kerk is a place full of splendour. However, after the Iconical Storm of 1566, little remains of all this beauty. Objects in the church are destroyed by the people of Leiden. In the Golden Age, the church once again played an important role. From this period dates, among other things, the expansion of the organ, many tombstones and the pulpit. In the middle of the 19th century the church was dire. This follows several periods of restoration, which makes the imposing church again beautiful today. The church can be visited from 1 May to 1 October.

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