Basilica of St. Nicholas, Amsterdam

Basilica of Saint Nicholas
Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas
The basilica in 2013 The basilica in 2013
Basilica of Saint Nicholas Location in the city center of Amsterdam
Country	Netherlands
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	www.nicolaas-parochie.nl
Architecture
Architect(s)	Adrianus Bleijs
Style	Neo-Baroque Neo-Renaissance
Administration
Parish	Amsterdam St Nicholas
Diocese	Haarlem-Amsterdam
Clergy
Deacon(s)	Eugene Brussee

The Basilica of Saint Nicholas (Dutch: Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas) is located in the Old Centre district of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the city's major Catholic church.

Officially the church was called St. Nicholas inside the Walls, i.e. the oldest part of the Amsterdam defence works. The architect, Adrianus Bleijs (1842-1912) designed the church basing himself on a combination of several revival styles of which Neo-Baroque and neo-Renaissance are the most prominent models.

The facade is crowned by two towers with a rose window in between. The centre of this window is formed by a bas relief depicting Christ and the four Evangelists, made in the Van den Bossche and Crevels workshop in 1886. A sculpture of the patron saint of both the church and the city of Amsterdam was placed in a niche in the upper section of the gable top. The well-known sculptor Bart van Hove (1850-1914) made the sculpture in 1886. The crossing is articulated by a large octagonal tower with a baroque dome and lantern and crowned by a cross. The basis of the groundplan is the scheme of the classic three-aisled cross-basilica, i.e. a nave, two aisles and a single transept. The choir is located as is usual, at the end of the nave. In the corners formed by the transept and the nave, two chapels are located, traditionally devoted to Mary and Joseph.

The basilica has a collection of religious murals. Above the high altar is the crown of Maximilian I, which is a symbol seen throughout Amsterdam.

Inside the newly renovated church, a 19th-century Sauer Organ can be found, on which concerts are given and mass is accompanied.

File:OudezijdsKolkAmsterdam.jpg

The famous view of the dome of the Church of St. Nicholas in Amsterdam seen from the Oudezijds Voorburgwal.

Basilica

In the 125th year of its existence, St Nicholas' Church elevated to "basilica minor" or basilica. That happened on 8 December 2012 during a celebration of Solemn Vespers, attended by ecclesiastical and secular authorities. Mgr. A. Dupuy, Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands, read the document which described the decision.

External links

• (Dutch) Basiliek van de H. Nicolaas, official website
• (Spanish) Parroquia San Nicolas
• Music Foundation of the St. Nicholas Church, choral music and organ concerts