The Nieuwe Kerk Church

The Nieuwe Kerk is the final resting place of nearly all members of the House of Orange. Its main features are the mausoleum of William of Orange, the magnificent tomb of Hugo de Groot, and memorial plaques commemorating other members of the House of Orange who are interred in the royal vault.

The foundations for the Nieuwe Kerk were laid in 1381. The original wooden church was subsequently replaced by a stone building in Gothic style. Work on the new building began three years after the wooden church was consecrated, and was completed in 1430. The architect of the Nieuwe Kerk is unknown. The total length of the church is 100 metres. The tower, which is 109 metres high, was started in 1396 and completed a century later, in 1496. The original stained glass windows were destroyed in the 16th and 17th centuries. The sixteen windows in the choir and transept today date from the first half of the 20th century. The organ was built in 1839.

Originally built as a Roman Catholic church, the Nieuwe Kerk has been Protestant since 1572.