From the water
This is a beautiful clandestine Catholic church on top of a seventeenth century merchant house. It was a secret Christian church, built during Protestant times. Among other artefacts, the museum house contains heavy Dutch furniture, table clocks, and two kitchens with Delft tiles. Jan Hartmann converted the attic of his home into a church, which today is enjoyed by an astonishing eighty five thousand visitors a year.
The story behind it
After the Reformation of 1578, Catholics were no longer allowed to worship in public. Wealthy merchant Jan Hartman built a complete church in the attic of his canal house, spanning three connected buildings.
The hidden church could hold around 150 people and was used for more than two centuries. Today it is one of the oldest museums in Amsterdam, and walking through its narrow staircases feels like travelling back to the Golden Age.
On your cruise
This is stop 3 of 23 on the Friendship route. Before this you passed The Old Church, and the boat continues towards Kolk Sluice. Your skipper will point it out as you pass — keep your camera ready, because from the water you see details that are easily missed from the street.
Want to see it in person? All our cruises follow the heart of this route, and with a private cruise you can even ask your skipper to linger a little longer at your favourite spots.
