The Basilica of St Nicholas, at Prins Hendrikkade 73, is the large Catholic church opposite Amsterdam's central station: you see its two towers and its dome as soon as you step off the train. Built between 1884 and 1887 to designs by Adrianus Bleijs and consecrated on 7 February 1887, it is dedicated to St Nicholas, patron saint of sailors and of the city. A minor basilica since 2012, 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; on Sundays, the church only opens for services. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the nave, the painted choir and the organ.
Highlights
The dome and the two towers
Behind the twin-towered facade, a large octagonal dome topped by a lantern rises 58 metres above the crossing. A blend of Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance styles, the church and the neighbouring Schreierstoren make up one of the most photographed skylines seen from the station forecourt.
The nave and the painted choir
The cruciform interior, with a nave and two aisles, is covered with paintings and Stations of the Cross by Jan Dunselman; the statues of Christ, the four Evangelists and the saints are by Emil Van den Bossche. Above the high altar, look for the crown of Emperor Maximilian I, an emblem that also appears on the city's coat of arms and buildings.
The Sauer organ
Placed above the entrance, beneath the rose window, the organ built in 1889 by the German organ builder Wilhelm Sauer has three manuals and 40 stops. It was restored between 1999 and 2002 and accompanies the sung Sunday Masses.
St Nicholas and Amsterdam
The city's patron saint is also the saint the Netherlands celebrates on the evening of 5 December as Sinterklaas. Since December 2021, the church has kept a relic of St Nicholas donated by Egmond Abbey. In 2012, the Vatican granted it the title of basilica because of this devotion and of the cult of the Miracle of Amsterdam.
A co-cathedral
For Amsterdam's 750th anniversary, Pope Francis raised the church to the rank of co-cathedral, alongside St Bavo's Cathedral in Haarlem. The bishop's chair was installed here on 8 March 2025.
Services
On Sundays, high Mass in Dutch at 10.30 am with choir, Mass in Spanish at 1 pm and Gregorian Vespers at 5 pm (except in July and August). Monday to Saturday, Mass at 12.30 pm (in English on Tuesdays, in Spanish on Fridays); on Saturdays, Choral Evensong at 5 pm (except in July and August).
Infos pratiques
Tips
Come between 12.15 pm and 12.30 pm or after 1.15 pm: from 12.30 pm to around 1 pm, Mass is celebrated and you are asked not to walk around the church. A visitor leaflet is available in Dutch, English and Spanish. Admission is free, donations welcome. For the best photo of the exterior, look at it from the station forecourt, across the water. Opening hours checked in October 2026.
How to get there
Prins Hendrikkade 73, 1012 AD Amsterdam, opposite Amsterdam Centraal station, about a 3-minute walk (take the city-side exit, then turn left along the water). Metro lines 51, 52, 53 and 54, Centraal Station stop; all trams from the Stationsplein.
Opening hours
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