Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Encyclopedia
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk (English: Great, or St. Lawrence church) is a Protestant
church in Rotterdam
. It is the only remnant of the medieval city of Rotterdam.
. By the poor quality of the wood had to be demolished in 1645 spire. The tower was then given a stone cube, which in 1650 appears to be too heavy for the foundation. The tower is re-piled in 1655 and the tower stands straight again.
At first, this basilica
was the only stone building in Rotterdam. Many important events took place here. The last pastor of the Laurenkerk was Hubertus Duifhuis. The Reformation
took place in 1572 and the Laurenskerk became a Protestant church. Pastors of the Church have included Laurens Johannes Jacobus van Oosterzee, Abraham Hellenbroek, Jan Scharp and J.R. Callenbach, who some years before the bombing wrote a book about the history of the church. The church is still used for worship of the Protestant Church
.
During the bombing
on May 14, 1940 the Laurenskerk was also heavily damaged. At first, there have been calls to demolish the church, but was stopped by the Germans. Within the provisional National Commission for the monument were supporters and opponents of restoration. In particular architectural committee J.J.P. Old opposed rebuilding in 1950 and released an alternative plan in the advertising which only the tower as a remnant would be preserved. Besides the memorial, a new smaller church can be rebuilt. This alternative plan was set aside, especially since the restored St. Lawrence too much as a symbol of the resilience of the Rotterdam community was seen. In 1952, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
laid the foundation stone for the restoration, which was completed only in 1968.
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
church in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. It is the only remnant of the medieval city of Rotterdam.
History
Construction took place between 1449 and 1525. In 1621 the tower with a wooden spire, designed by Hendrick de KeyserHendrick de Keyser
Hendrick de Keyser was a Dutch sculptor and architect born in Utrecht, Netherlands, who was instrumental in establishing a late Renaissance form of Mannerism in Amsterdam...
. By the poor quality of the wood had to be demolished in 1645 spire. The tower was then given a stone cube, which in 1650 appears to be too heavy for the foundation. The tower is re-piled in 1655 and the tower stands straight again.
At first, this basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
was the only stone building in Rotterdam. Many important events took place here. The last pastor of the Laurenkerk was Hubertus Duifhuis. The Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
took place in 1572 and the Laurenskerk became a Protestant church. Pastors of the Church have included Laurens Johannes Jacobus van Oosterzee, Abraham Hellenbroek, Jan Scharp and J.R. Callenbach, who some years before the bombing wrote a book about the history of the church. The church is still used for worship of the Protestant Church
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
.
During the bombing
Rotterdam Blitz
The Rotterdam Blitz refers to the aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the German Air Force on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance and force the Dutch to surrender...
on May 14, 1940 the Laurenskerk was also heavily damaged. At first, there have been calls to demolish the church, but was stopped by the Germans. Within the provisional National Commission for the monument were supporters and opponents of restoration. In particular architectural committee J.J.P. Old opposed rebuilding in 1950 and released an alternative plan in the advertising which only the tower as a remnant would be preserved. Besides the memorial, a new smaller church can be rebuilt. This alternative plan was set aside, especially since the restored St. Lawrence too much as a symbol of the resilience of the Rotterdam community was seen. In 1952, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
laid the foundation stone for the restoration, which was completed only in 1968.
External links
- Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk (Dutch only)
- Pastoral of the church (Dutch only)