Churches in Amsterdam: the 10 most beautiful to visit

The great Protestant churches of the centre

1. The Oude Kerk, the oldest

The "Old Church" is the oldest building in Amsterdam: a first wooden chapel stood here around 1213, and the stone church was consecrated in 1306. In the middle of the red-light district, it has kept a huge wooden vault, 16th-century stained-glass windows and a floor covered with some 2,500 tombstones, including that of Saskia, Rembrandt's wife. Today it hosts contemporary art exhibitions. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5.30 pm; tickets €14.50, free up to age 12 and with the Museumkaart. Until 31 October 2026, the tower can be climbed on a guided tour from Wednesday to Sunday (155 steps, 67 metres; €22 including the church, not allowed for children under 6). Details in our Oude Kerk guide.

2. The Nieuwe Kerk, the church of kings

On Dam Square, next to the Royal Palace, the "New Church" was consecrated in 1409. Dutch monarchs have been inaugurated here since 1814, and Admiral Michiel de Ruyter lies beneath a marble tomb. Run by a foundation, it serves as a large exhibition hall: open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with a price that depends on the exhibition (€25 for World Press Photo until 25 October 2026, then €20 for Queer Amsterdam). See our Nieuwe Kerk guide.

3. The Westerkerk, the tower of Rembrandt and Anne Frank

Built between 1620 and 1631 to designs by Hendrick de Keyser, the Westerkerk has the tallest tower in the city, the Westertoren, whose carillon Anne Frank could hear from her hiding place. Rembrandt was buried here in 1669. Admission is free, Monday to Friday from 11 am to 3 pm (also on Saturdays in July and August), and an organ recital takes place on Wednesdays at 1 pm. The tower cannot be visited: the church states that no climbs will be possible during the coming years of restoration. See the Westerkerk guide.

4. The Zuiderkerk, the first Protestant church

Hendrick de Keyser also designed the Zuiderkerk, built between 1603 and 1611: it is the first church in the city built for Protestant worship. Closed for worship in 1929, it is now hired out for concerts, fairs and receptions, and only opens to the public during these events. Its tower, closed to visitors since summer 2023, remains one of the finest silhouettes of the Nieuwmarkt district. Our Zuiderkerk guide lists the public events for October 2026.

5. The Noorderkerk, the church of the Jordaan

Hendrick de Keyser's last church, completed by his son Pieter in 1623, the Noorderkerk has a Greek-cross plan with four equal arms, designed so that the whole congregation could see the pulpit. It stands on the Noordermarkt, in the north of the Jordaan. From September to May, it opens free of charge on Saturdays and Mondays from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, during market hours; almost every Saturday, a chamber music concert takes place from 2 pm to 3 pm. Combine the visit with the Saturday organic market or the Monday flea market: see our Noordermarkt guide.

The hidden Catholic churches

After 1578, public Catholic worship was banned in Amsterdam. Catholics celebrated Mass in house churches, tolerated as long as they remained invisible from the street. Three of them can still be visited.

6. Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, the attic church

Under the roof of a merchant's house on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, a church consecrated in 1663 held around 150 worshippers on two levels of galleries. It is now a museum, open daily from 10 am to 6 pm; tickets €18, €7.50 for ages 5 to 17, booking recommended. The visit also takes you through the 17th-century house. All the details in the Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder guide.

7. The Begijnhof: hidden chapel and English Reformed Church

In the Beguines' courtyard, near the Spui, two churches face each other. The Begijnhof chapel, at no. 30, is a hidden church designed by Philips Vingboons and opened in 1682; it is still a place of Catholic worship. The English Reformed Church, the former Beguine church, was given by the city to the English Presbyterians in 1607; it is open to visitors four days a week according to its calendar, and the Sunday service is at 10.30 am. The courtyard is free and open to all, in silence: see the Begijnhof guide.

8. De Papegaai, on the Kalverstraat

At no. 58 of the city's busiest shopping street, a narrow Neo-Gothic facade hides the Church of St Peter and St Paul, nicknamed "De Papegaai" (the parrot): the clandestine church of around 1700 stood behind the house of a bird dealer. It is open free of charge Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. A quiet break in the middle of your shopping.

The great Catholic churches of the 19th century

9. The Basilica of St Nicholas, opposite the station

With its two towers and its 58-metre dome, the Basilica of St Nicholas is the first church you see when leaving the central station. Built between 1884 and 1887 by Adrianus Bleijs, it became a co-cathedral of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam in 2025. Admission is free Monday to Saturday from 12.15 pm to 3.30 pm; avoid the 12.30 pm Mass. Our Basilica of St Nicholas guide details the services, including Choral Evensong on Saturdays at 5 pm.

10. The Krijtberg, Neo-Gothic gem of the Singel

Squeezed between the houses of the Singel, the Church of St Francis Xavier, known as De Krijtberg, raises two very slender spires above the canal. The Jesuits, present here since the 17th century, had it built from 1881 by the architect Alfred Tepe, on the site of a hidden church; it was consecrated in 1883 and fully restored in 2000. The interior, painted and gilded from floor to ceiling, is one of the richest in the city. There are no fixed visiting hours: the church opens around Mass times (daily at 12.30 pm, Saturdays at 5.15 pm in English, Sundays at 10.30 am in Latin, 12.30 pm and 5.15 pm). See the Krijtberg guide.

Bonus: the Mozes en Aäronkerk

On the Waterlooplein, this Neoclassical church by Tilman-François Suys (1837-1841), with two towers inspired by Saint-Sulpice in Paris, replaced a hidden Franciscan church. It has been run since 2014 by the Sant'Egidio community and can be visited free of charge on Thursdays and Fridays from 12 pm to 4 pm.

Summary table

Prices checked in October 2026. Churches still in use close to visitors walking around during services: enter discreetly or come back afterwards.

Tips for visiting Amsterdam's churches

• Museumkaart and City Card: the Oude Kerk, the Nieuwe Kerk and Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder are free with the Museumkaart; the other churches on the list are free, donations welcome.
• Payment: the Oude Kerk and the Nieuwe Kerk only accept card payments.
• Dress and silence: in churches where Mass is still celebrated (St Nicholas, Krijtberg, Papegaai, Begijnhof chapel), avoid walking around during services and keep your voice down.
• Towers: in October 2026, only the Oude Kerk tower can be climbed, until 31 October; those of the Westerkerk and the Zuiderkerk are closed.

A simple walking route links most of these churches in half a day: the Basilica of St Nicholas as you leave the station, the Oude Kerk and Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder in the red-light district, the Zuiderkerk via the Nieuwmarkt, then the Begijnhof, the Papegaai and the Krijtberg around the Spui, before finishing at the Westerkerk and the Noorderkerk.

Further reading

To see the city from above now that several church towers are closed, read our selection of the best views over Amsterdam. The churches of the red-light district and the Nieuwmarkt combine well with our guide to the Nieuwmarkt district, and those of the Jordaan with our guide to the Jordaan.