 Originally a small village on a dam in the river Rotte, Rotterdam has grown to become the second-largest city in the Netherlands. On May 14th 1940 German planes bombed the historic heart of the city. With the exception of the old Great Church all churches in the centre were destroyed. After the war the centre was rebuilt in Functionalist style. Several modern churches were built. The loss of many old churches was no reason to preserve those that did survive the war, and many important churches have been demolished since the 1960's, including the Koninginnekerk, one of the major examples of protestant church architecture. Part of Rotterdam are several former villages, such as Overschie and Hillegersberg, which are covered on seperate pages. |
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The Gothic Great Church or St. Laurens is the only old church left standing in the part of the centre that was levelled by German planes on May 14th 1940. Although badly damaged by the bombs it could be restored after the war. Location:
Grotekerkplein 27 |
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 The Roman Catholic Eendrachtskerk, officially named H.H. Laurentius en Ignatius, dates from 1868-1871 and was designed by Belgian architect F. Laureys in neo-Romanesque style. Location: Eendrachtsstraat 95 |
Of the
Kerk van de Allerheiligste
Verlosser after a fire in 1979 only the front remains. Behind
it
apartments were built. The church was built in 1882-1884 and was
designed by J. Kayser, who mostly worked in the province of Limburg, in
his typical neo-Gothic style influenced by gothic architecture in
northern Germany. |
The St.
Hildegardis is a
neo-Gothic church designed by E.J. Margry and finished after his death
by A.A.J. Margry and J.M. Snickers. Choir and transept were
built
in 1891-1892. The nave and tower were finally built in 1904-1905 and
are very similar to the church the latter two architects built in
Zaandam previously. |
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 The remonstrant church was built in 1897 and was designed by H. Evers in a combination of styles, one of which is Jugendstil. Location: Museumpark 3 |
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 The H.H. Laurentius en Elisabeth was built as a Roman Catholic parish church in 1907, but became the cathedral of the diocese of Rotterdam when it was founded in 1956. Local architect P.G. Buskens designed the church in neo-Romanesque style. At first only the choir, transept and nave were built; the front with the two towers was constructed from 1920 until 1922. Location: Mathenesserlaan 305 |
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 The neo-Baroque Paradijskerk is the church of the Old-Catholic parish H.H. Petrus en Paulus. It was designed by architect P.A. Weeldenburg and completed in 1910. Location: Nieuwe Binnenweg 25 |
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 The Norwegian church was built in 1914 to accomodate Norwegian sailors. This largest wooden building of The Netherlands is a copy of a 16th-century Norwegian village church. The church was originally built ca. 170 metres to the west but was moved to the current location in 1937. Location: Drooglever Fortuynplein 2 |
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The
Bergsingelkerk was designed by Tj. Kuipers for the
protestant
Gereformeerden denomination. It was built in 1914-1915.
Kuipers
used the available space as optimal as possible by using a tapered
ground-plan. The two towers give the church a monumental appearance. |
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 The Wallonian church was built in 1923-1924. It was designed in Traditional style by architects J. Verheul and J. Wijngaarden. Location: Schiedamsevest 190 |
The
catholic. H. Familiekerk was
built in 1925-1927 in a simle Expressionistic style. It was designed by
J.Th.J. Cuypers and P. Cuypers jr.. |
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 The Roman Catholic St. Willibrordus was designed by P.G. Buskens and built in 1928. The church is currently used by the Polish parish. Location: Beukelsdijk 177 |
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The Prinsekerk
belongs
to the reformed denomination. It was built in 1932-1933 and was
designed by J.C. Meischke in a combination of Traditionalistic and
Expressionistic styles. Location:
Schepenstraat 71
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The Lutheran Andreaskerk was built in 1947-1949 but is in a remarkably traditional style. It was designed by B. van der Lecq. Location: Heer Vranckestraat 51
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 The Scots Church is one of several churches built after the war to replace destroyed ones. There had been a Scottish church in Rotterdam ever since the 17th century. This modest building in Traditionalistic style was designed by architect m.C.A. Meischke and built in 1951-1952. Location: Schiedamsevest 121 |
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The Greek-Orthodox church Agios Nikólaos was built in 1954. It was designed by architects De Jong, Taen and Nix in a Traditionalistic style with major Byzantine influences, like an octagonal tower on the crossing. Location: Westzeedijk 333 |
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 Several Roman Catholic churches were destroyed during the bombing of 1940. After the war only one new church was built, the Steigerkerk. This church was designed by architect C. Knol and built in 1959-1960 on the location of one of the destroyed churches. Location: Hang 18 |
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