De Engelse Kerk

Image from Engelse Kerk Amsterdam - Ernest McGray Jr. CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Image from Engelse kerk - interieur

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The English Church in Amsterdam is used as a stage for classical (choral) music outside church services. There are often recitals and chamber music ensembles to listen to. You will find the English Church in the Begijnhof.

About the history of the Englisch Church

The first church in the Begijnhof was consecrated in 1419 and provided a place of worship for the lay community of nuns, the Begijnen or Beguines, who lived in the court around. The wooden church, along with most of the Begijnhof and a significant part of Amsterdam was burnt down in the fire of 1421. All but the church tower was destroyed.

Towards the end of the fifteenth century, the Begijnhof and its chapel were rebuilt in brick and stone. During the Reformation the church was closed when the city fathers disallowed all but Reformed worship.

The church lay unused for 20 years until it was given to the English-speaking worshippers in Amsterdam in 1607. Since then, our congregation has flourished, keeping English-language worship in the heart of Amsterdam except for a short period during German occupation in the Second World War.