- Westerkerk
The Westerkerk ("western church") is a Protestant church in
Amsterdam , built in1620 -1631 after a design byHendrick de Keyser . The church is right next to Amsterdam'sJordaan district, at the bank of thePrinsengracht canal .The spire is the highest church tower in Amsterdam, at 85 meters (279 feet). The crown topping the spire is the
Imperial Crown of Austria of Maximilian I. The church bells were made by the brothers Hemony.Rembrandt van Rijn was buried in the Westerkerk onOctober 8 1669 . The exact location of the grave is unknown, but presumed to be somewhere along the northern wall. Rembrandt's loverHendrickje Stoffels is also buried here, and his sonTitus van Rijn may also be. Other painters buried in the Westerkerk areNicolaes Berchem ,Gillis d'Hondecoeter ,Melchior d'Hondecoeter andGovert Flinck . The church organ is decorated with doors painted byGerard de Lairesse .The Westerkerk is located close to the Achterhuis (now
Anne Frank House ) where diaristAnne Frank , her family and others hid from Nazi persecution for two years duringWorld War II . The Westerkerk is mentioned frequently in her diary - its clock tower could be seen from the attic of the Achterhuis and Anne Frank described the chiming of the clock as a source of comfort. A memorial statue of Frank is located outside the church.Near the Westerkerk is the
Homomonument , a memorial for men and women persecuted for theirhomosexuality .On
March 10 ,1969 Queen Beatrix (then Princess Beatrix) married Prince Claus in the Westerkerk.There is also a church called Westerkerk in other Dutch towns, including
Leeuwarden ,Enkhuizen ,Amersfoort ,Bunschoten ,Ermelo andCapelle aan den IJssel .External links
* [http://www.westerkerk.nl Westerkerk]
* [http://www.bma.amsterdam.nl/adam/uk/groot/wkerk.html Amsterdam Bureau of Monuments and Archeology]
* [http://www.planetware.com/amsterdam/west-church-nl-nh-wester.htm PlanetWare: West Church]Photo gallery
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