Vrouwekerk, Leiden
Photo © Wim Van Isterdael.
Location map and aerial view of Vrouwekerk. For a larger interactive view, see our Leiden Map.
The Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (better known by the shorter form Vrouwekerk or Vrouwe Kerk) in Leiden is a ruined 14th-century church with Pilgrim heritage and an uncertain future.
History
In the early Middle Ages, the Vrouwekerk was a small village chapel. As Leiden grew, the village became a northwest suburb of the city and the chapel was expanded to accommodate the additional worshippers. This expansion work was carried out from the 14th to the 16th century; most of what survives today dates from the 14th century.
At that time the Vrouwekerk contained the chapels of several trade and devotional guilds of Leiden, such as that of the surgeons' guild dedicated to the doctor-saints Cosmas and Damian. A triptych now in Vienna painted by Cornelis Engebrechtsz is probably the altarpiece of this chapel.
After the Reformation was established in the 16th century, the Vrouwekerk hosted a Huguenot (French Calvinist) congregation. Most of the Huguenots were refugees from northern France and Wallonia (the French-speaking part of Belgium). By the 17th century their community numbered some 6,000 members.
Joining the Walloons at the Vrouwekerk were a number of Pilgrim refugees from England. The most famous of these were Philippe de la Noye, later known as Philip Delano, and his aunt and uncle, Hester Mayhew and Francis Cooke. Philip was baptized here in 1603, the same year Hester and Francis were married. Many of these Pilgrims emigrated to America, some of them on the famous Mayflower, and are the ancestors of American presidents Ulysses Grant, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.
What to See
Today, the Vrouwekerk is on a public square in front of the Boerhaave Museum, just north of the Haarlemmerstraat. It is in ruins, with only one wall partially standing (the congregation now meets in a small chapel on the Breestraat).
In 1999, plans were announced for the demolition of the church ruins as well as historic houses on the square to make room for a modern shopping center. The plans have met with much opposition and controversy and have not yet been carried out.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | Vrouwekerk; Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk; Church of Our Lady |
| Dedicated to: | Virgin Mary |
| Location: | Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands |
| Category: | Churches |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Calvinist |
| Status: | ruins |
| Date: | 14th century |
| Architecture: | Gothic |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 52.161126° N, 4.489626° E (view on Google Maps) |
Travel Resources
- Leiden Map - our detailed interactive map of Leiden, plus hand-picked links to more
- Leiden Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, then book at the guaranteed lowest rate
- Leiden Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
- Leiden Travel Forum - tips, answers and advice on Leiden tourism
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Vrouwekerk - The Churches of Leiden
- Pilgrim walking tour of Leiden - Leiden American Pilgrim Museum
