The Hooglandse Church, a Gothic church in Leiden

One of the most beautiful buildings in Leiden is easily the Hooglandse Kerk (translation: Highland Church). This Gothic church is hard to miss while wandering around Leiden and I always love walking past it whenever I’m in Leiden. Unlike many churches in the Netherlands, it is still in use. This article will discuss the interesting history of the Hooglandse Kerk and how to visit the Hooglandse Church.

This Gothic church in Leiden stands in the place of a smaller wooden church dating back to the 13th century after it was discovered that more space was needed. Construction began in the late 1300s, however it wasn’t finalized until the 1500s. There were ambitions to further elevate this church to a cathedral, but unfortunately, this distinction went to Haarlem’s Grote Bavokerk.

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In 1566, the church was severely damaged during the raids of the various Catholic churches. At this time, many church artifacts, art, and destruction was caused. Only a few years later, it was turned into a Protestant church and grain storage. As a result, there a few remnants of its time as a Catholic church.

Further destruction ensured by a gunpowder explosion, which destroyed the windows in the nearby Pieterskerk.  This damage forced a restoration in the 1800s. Most of what you can see in the church at this point dates back to this restoration and a post-World War II restoration.

The unique space of the church is built almost in the same of a ship. The Hooglandse Kerk has the longest Gothic transept (cross-arm of the church) in the Netherlands at this point.

You can visit between May and September when the doors are open to the public. Similarly, there are various events, including antique fairs, held in the church occasionally. It’s also opened on Heritage Day and October 3rd (the celebration of Leiden banishing the Spanish).

Check the calendar if you’re curious about the interior. It’s also possible to attend Protestant services (in Dutch) on Sundays throughout the year. Even if you can’t go inside, you can easily see it from Leiden Castle!

Have you been to the Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden?

• Tips for visiting the Pieterskerk
• De Burcht in Leiden
• One day in Leiden
• Following the footsteps of the Pilgrims in Leiden – The Leiden Pilgrim museum is just across from the church!