Westerkerk church on Prnsengracht, Western Canal Belt.

The main gathering place for Amsterdam's Dutch Reformed community, this church was built for rich Protestants to a 1620 design by Hendrick de Keyser. The nave is the largest in the Netherlands and is covered by a wooden barrel vault. The huge main organ dates from 1686, with panels decorated with instruments and biblical scenes. Rembrandt (1606–69), who died bankrupt at nearby Rozengracht, was buried in a pauper's grave somewhere in the church. Its bell tower can be climbed.

Look out for free 30-minute lunchtime concerts in the summer months. Year-round, carillon recitals are held from noon to 1pm on Tuesday; the best place to listen is from the nearby Bloemgracht. The bells also chime mechanically every 15 minutes.

Transportation

  • tram: 13/17 Westermarkt

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Westerkerk Bell Tower

The bell tower of the Westerkerk is famously topped by the blue imperial crown that Habsburg emperor Maximilian I bestowed on the city for its coat of…

2. Anne Frank Huis

0.04 MILES

Visiting the Anne Frank Huis is one of Amsterdam's most profound experiences. Tragically, of the 107,000 Jewish adults and children deported from the…

3. Homomonument

0.04 MILES

Behind the Westerkerk, this 1987-installed cluster of three 10m by 10m by 10m granite triangles recalls persecution by the Nazis, who forced gay men to…

4. Bloemgracht

0.13 MILES

In the 17th century the 'Herengracht of the Jordaan', as the Bloemgracht was called, was home to paint and sugar factories, and a large number of fine…

5. Amsterdam Tulip Museum

0.13 MILES

Allow around half an hour at this diminutive museum, which offers an overview of the history of the country's favourite bloom. Through exhibits, timelines…

6. Bartolotti House

0.13 MILES

Built in 1617, this ornate neck-gabled building was designed by famed architect Hendrick de Keyser, and has two bends in the facade to follow the course…

7. Amsterdam Cheese Museum

0.14 MILES

It's a tourist ploy, but a good-humoured one. The main floor is a cheese shop with abundant free samples. The basement floor contains a small 'museum'…

8. Egelantiersgracht

0.14 MILES

Many parts of the Jordaan are named after trees and flowers, and this canal, lined by lovely houses built for artisans and skilled traders, takes its name…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "the-netherlands/amsterdam/western-canal-ring/attractions/westerkerk/a/poi-sig/387169/1323039",
      "position": "superzone"
    }