This church is managed by 'stadsherstel'(this means city renovation). It is used for markets,…read moreconcerts etc During covid lockdown dec 2020, they hosted a piano festival. I bought the ticket online, well in advance, which was a good thing. With limited audience size, concerts sell out very fast. What i liked: - historic building - good avoustic - covid rules well followed

De Duif is a church, and as such it has a nicely decorated interior and exterior. But it also…read moreserves as event space, and I have participated to an event right into it. Obviously events organization can't be rated, as it is subjective to the organizers, but the church has several services to support them, including a bar serving beers and drinks (yes, a real bar with taps and all right inside of the church!) and a kitchen preparing finger food and snacks for the attendants. Events or not, if you're in the area have a stop at De Duif and visit this nice church.

While I hadn't initially known about Het Begijnhof before stumbling upon it on a weekend afternoon,…read moreI'm glad to have visited. It was an insightful glimpse into the hundreds of years of history and thousands of lives impacted by this community, for women seeking religious and economic sanctuary. While it doesn't balance out the inequity of treatment across classes, race, religion and gender back then, it's still quite a progressive undertaking for those times. Since many other reviews have gone into detail about the religious backgrounds, I'll just add a few observations: - walking up to the entrance gate, a security guard is posted at all times, he reminds visitors to respectful of the environment and inhabitants of the neighborhood. The streets around are pretty busy and loud so I'm glad that they're there to maintain a calmer environment. - no walking or stepping on the lawn areas, there are signs with this request posted around the outdoor spaces. - the chapel designed in 1671 within the two townhouses for catholic worship was considered a "hidden" church, since Catholicism wasn't openly sanctioned after the late 16th century. The church building on the courtyard is a Protestant church; both are working church structures. Though the English Reformed Church building isn't always open for visitor access. - there's no tourism photography allowed in the chapel so take note for those who like selfies. Begijnhof is free to visit, hours are 10am-6pm daily. For more info: begijnhofkapelamsterdam.nl

This magnificiently manicured compound is a free attraction in Amsterdam with an interesting…read morehistory. Strictly a female residential commune. Women are on a long list to reside here with certain restrictions: They are over thirty five years old, widowed, no children and poverty stricken. The grassy courtyard is full of beautiful colored trees and two active Protestant churches. Monies are derived from donations and a gift shop.

It's not everyday that you see a historic church used as a museum space for modern art, fashion,…read morecelebrities, or culture and history of religious groups other than Christianity. Not to mention also host royal weddings and music recitals. With De Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church), you find all these in one spot. Construction began in 1408 during medieval times and the church was finished and consecrated a year later, dedicated to Saint Catherine. The current impressive wooden-beamed roof was result of a devastating fire in 1645 after which several key components of today's building were added: the organ, pulpit, brass choir screen, and elaborate funerary monuments such as the one to Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. 1959 to 1980 was the most recent major restoration with a national foundation created and stepping in once the Protestant church that originally owned the building became unable to maintain upkeep. As a modern event space, they host a variety of happenings--most commonly museum exhibitions, as was the case when I visited. "Mokum - the Biography of Jewish Amsterdam" took visitors thru the history of the Jewish community--from immigration, shared cultural customs and traditions and gradual advancements in society, to the subversive Nazi movement and ultimately occupation of Amsterdam during WWII, the strained persistence to survive and the rebuilding that happened afterwards. There were a lot of didactic placards with info on what was being displayed, in both Dutch and English throughout the exhibit. Tickets are €22.50 for adults, discounted tickets available for children (Youth 12-17 years €15.00, under 12 free), students €15, certain groups and pass holders are free. Tickets include a free audio tour. I used the "i amsterdam" pass which involved a quick scan of the QR code at the ticket counter. Recommend about 45 minutes to go thru the tour, maybe an extra 20-30 minutes to check out the church building itself. For more info: https://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/

This is a stunning church right in the city center right next to the palace. It was built in the…read more1500's. It is not an active church and is used for events. Beautiful inside and out.

A ticket for €8.50 gives you access to both the Old and New Church. We visited and really liked…read moreseeing all of the stained glass. If you are looking for a challenge then head up to the tower. The climb to the top involves 376 steps and is the second-highest church tower in the Netherlands. We held off on purchasing our tickets online since the tower may be closed due to weather conditions. I recommend doing this during an off time since it is a narrower staircase with not a lot of room to pass.

This is a magnificent old Dutch Reform Church built between 1383 and 1510. The tower was built…read morebetween 1396 and 1496. this according to the plaque next to the front door. Located right on the square it really stands out. The day we were there the door was locked so we could not go inside.

This is the biggest church in Holland and right next to the hotel we were staying at. After walking…read moreby it multiple times, we decided to stop by and am glad we did. It was built in the early 1600's and is stunning both inside and out. Sadly the observation deck was closed when we were there. And cool factoid for you...Rembrandt was buried here.

Beautiful exterior. Mediocre interior. Intended to stay for free concert but one of the attendants…read morehassled us regarding donations for the coffee and tea. He hovered and swooped in twice to ask if we paid. My buddy inadvertently paid extra but the guy was still insistent on ensuring we paid. Not a welcoming approach

As an American, I was especially touched to see the Engelese Kerk, built originally in 1420. A…read morerefuge for those suffering from religious persecution in England, it is the site where the Pilgrims prayed before sailing on the Mayflower for religious freedom in America. Do check out the poignant stained glass depiction of this in the far back of the Church.

Visiting the Netherlands was the highlight of my European vacation last year. I enjoyed the food,…read morethe Dutch people, and all the fun museums and landmarks I visited. Especially this large one with several floors full of historic art and other items. There was so much to see and several parts of the museum are interactive. The area has a very interesting history and it was fun to tour the museum and learn more about it.

The one place to visit if you want to know more about Den Haag- valid for both foreigners and Dutch…read morewho moved to the city. Exceptionally thoughtful collection on 4 floors, plus multimedia. The exhibition is just big enough to not get you bored, guides you smoothly through the history of the city, combining paintings,photos, videos and objects from the different periods. There's also a large multimedia screen, showing in short and prompt matter how the city grew in the centuries. Excellent for all ages!