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Our Lord in the Attic, Amsterdam, Netherlands
N 52 22.500 E 4 53.964
A walk through the oldest part of Amsterdam is a jarring array of contrasts. Oude Kerk, the Old Church consecrated in 1306, looms over the red light district. The glaring neon of the sex shops distracts from the centuries-old architecture. Just a few steps away from all this, on the 14th century canal Oudezijds Voorburgwal, is a 17th century town house with a secret: it has a church in the attic. Today, Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, or Our Lord in the Attic, is Amsterdam’s second oldest museum. Its 350 year history offers a fascinating glimpse of the Reformation and the Dutch Golden Age.
In the middle of the 16th century, the Low Countries revolted against the rule of the Spanish which ultimately would lead to the 30 Years’ War and the formation of the Dutch Republic. In 1578, during what is known as the Alteration, Amsterdam changed from a Catholic-controlled city government to a Protestant-controlled government. Soon, Protestants took over the city’s churches and the city officially prohibited Catholic mass in Amsterdam. Catholics could conduct mass in private homes, offices, and warehouses as long as there were unrecognizable from the outside and the appropriate official was properly greased.
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Photo: P. Ryan |
By the mid-1600’s, the Dutch empire was booming. Jan Hartman (1619-1668) was a merchant from Germany who moved to Amsterdam to participate in these heady times. He purchased three adjacent homes, one on the canal and two small properties down the alley. A Catholic with a son training for the priesthood, Harman decided to build a clandestine church in the attic of his home. The church was constructed from 1661 to 1663. The walls between the three attics were removed, the cross-beams were replaced by horizontal beams and iron tie-beams, and galleries were constructed along both sides of the church. Lateral space being at a premium, a movable pulpit was constructed that could be swung into one of the alter columns. Soon, devote Catholics were quietly slipping in the door, climbing the circular stairs, and finding their seat before the baroque alter. Hartman died soon after the church was finished and the houses changed ownership many times. But masses continued for over 200 years in the attic church until the much larger St. Nicolas church was constructed on Prins Hendrikkade. The attic church ceased services in 1887 and the building was slated for demolished. However, a small group of Amsterdam Catholics formed a foundation which bought the building and open it as a museum on April 28th, 1888.
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| Photo: P. Ryan |
Visitors to the museum have the pleasure of seeing an authentic 17th century Dutch merchant’s home and the charming Church in the Attic. The wood floors and stairs are all original. The furnishings and artwork are from the period. It is a rare gem. But the little museum has grown in popularity and the number of visitors is climbing, from 57,000 in 2000 to approximately 90,000 in 2006. With increased visitation comes increased wear-and-tear on the old structure. The museum has struggled to balance visitor demand with the preservation of the building and its contents. The museum is currently being renovated for its approaching 350th anniversary. The building across the alley has been purchased by the foundation as an extension which will house the entrance lobby, a museum shop, a cafe, temporary exhibitions and educational resources. It will open in 2012. Meantime, visitors can view the restoration of the church in progress. Original colors have been discovered under the paint of 20th century restorations. Soon, the entire church will be restored to its 17th century glory.
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Question of the Day: What saying is inscribed on the mirror in the Canal Room?
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