Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk

Late-Gothic church with one of the oldest surviving organs in the world

The Grote Kerk — formally the Sint-Laurenskerk — is the late-Gothic parish church at the western edge of the old town, built between 1470 and 1518. The interior is vast and unusually light, painted white during the Reformation. The vaulted ceiling carries 16th-century painted decoration that survived the Protestant whitewash because it was too high to reach easily.

The church is no longer used for regular worship and serves as a cultural venue with rotating exhibitions, organ concerts in summer, and a small permanent display on the building's history. Climbing the tower is not currently possible, but the floor itself is impressive enough — pace it from end to end and look up. Hours can be short outside the tourist season; check before you walk over.

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The Great Organ at the west end of the church was built in 1645 by Jacobus van Hagerbeer and Galtus van Hagerbeer, and remains in almost original condition — one of the most important historic organs in Europe. The smaller "swallow's nest" organ on the wall near the choir is older still, dating from 1511.

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