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De Sint-Janskerk (St. John's Church) in Gouda  (Photo Paul Bighelaar)
Measuring 123 meters, Gouda´s St. Johan´s is the longest church in Holland. Of the oldest building, which was built around 1280, only little is known. The church has a relatively small tower with a carillon whose bells stem from the famous seventeenth-century Hemony brothers bell-foundry. The present church building, in the form of a cross basilica, dates mainly from before the fire of 1552. Until the Reformation of 1572 the church was used as a Roman Catholic church, which still can be seen from its lay-out. Spread across the nave and the aisle were at least 45 altars, belonging to Gouda guilds and were dedicated to saints. The choir section, separated by a monumental marble Choir screen with copper bars from 1782, was only accessible to the clergy. Here, at the main altar, mass was said. In 1573 the church was assigned to the Protestants. The church building is still maintained by the municipality of Gouda Reformed Protestant Church in the Netherlands. Two times on a Sunday, a church service is held, usually in the nave, which is dominated by a bank plan dating from 1853. During some afternoons, services are held in the choir section. Throughout the year there are concerts on one of the two organs or by national and international choirs and orchestras. Due to the great length, the acoustics of the church are particularly attractive. The organ was built between 1732-1736 by Jacob François Moreau. The small organ dates from 1975 and is a Leeflang / Keyzer organ. In the church floor many tombstones are reminiscent of a time in which people were buried in the church. Most people were middle class. Some very wealthy had even a tomb chapel built for the purpose. In 1832, the last burial in the church took place. Note |
