Nieuwe Kerk, Delft, The Netherlands

A bonus church for the Feast of the Annunciation--nine months till Christmas!

The Nieuwe Kerk or New Church was built in 1381 and rebuilt in 1536 after a great fire. An explosion caused more rebuilding a century later. The most recent addition is the 100-meter spire installed in 1872. The Old Church is located nearby and is described in this post.

Nieuwe Kerk, Delft

A miniature of the church above the door of the church

Gloomy side aisle

Less gloomy nave (but only slightly less)

In the nave is the Mausoleum of William the Silent (better known as William of Orange in the English speaking world though he is not the William of Orange who became king of Engalnd), built from 1614 to 1623. He led the resistance that fought against Spanish rule. He fought as an outlaw and never did see the establishment of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, but he is still known as "Vader des Vaderlands" or "Father of the Fatherland." He was killed by a French assassin in 1584.

Mausoleum of William of Orange

Two effigies represent him. One shows him in the prime of life with all the airs of his position (show at the front of the mausoleum above). Another shows his deathbed. Around the structure are several statues representing Liberty, Justice, Religion, and Courage.

William of Orange, reclining

Liberty

Justice

Religion

Courage (though it looks like sauciness to me)

The stained glass windows are replacement of the medieval works. After the fire of 1536 and the Delft Thunderclap (when the gunpowder depot with 90,000 pounds of stock blew up in 1654!), no windows remained. Thanks to the Protestant iconoclasm of the day, the windows were either bricked up or plain grey glass was installed. In 1923 a Dutch American, Edward W. Bok, donated a large window of Queen Wilhelmina in honor of her jubilee. Many of the stained glass windows follow the Art Deco style popular in the 1920s and 1930s, representing both biblical themes and the glory of the House of Orange.

Political stained glass

Wilhelmina window (I think)

Many members of the House of Orange are buried in the vaults below the church. The entrance is a simple stone slab with the Latin inscription RESURRECTIONEM EXPECTAT GUILIELMUS PRIMUS PATER PATRIAE or "William I, Father of the Fatherlands, awaits the resurrection."

Entrance to the crypts

A grave

Ornate floor carving

King William I

Tomb of Hugo Grotius

The tomb of Hugo Grotius is an interesting addition to the church. He was not from the royal family. He was a legal expert who lived in Delft from 1583 to 1645. He was jailed after a political disagreement with Prince Maurits (who succeeded William of Orange). He was smuggled out of jail in a book chest and died in exile, though he continued to publish works. A statue of him stands guard outside.

Hugo Grotius Statue

Oude Kerk, Delft, The Netherlands

The Oude Kerk or Old Church in Delft began as a simple stone church in 1050. Around 1240, a local official, Bartholomeus van der Made, began rebuilding and expanding the church, naming it St. Bartholomew after his patron. By the late 1300s the church was completed and rededicated to St. Hippolytus, patron of Delft. After the Reformation, it became known as the old church (in contrast to the new church on the Markt).

Oude Kerk, Delft

The eastern end of the church

Geertruyt van Oosten (1330-1358)

The church tower (built in the early to mid 1300s) has been a worry for centuries. Due to subsidence, it has leaned in different directions and demanded constant care.

The interior is quite bright and cheerful (a big contrast to the new church), with plenty of windows and white walls filling the church with light.
 

Nave

Pews

The main pulpit has some nice relief work of John the Baptist and the four evangelists. It dates from 1548 and somehow survived the Iconoclastic Fury of the Protestants in the 1560s. It was moved to the center of the church, presumably to give preachers a better vantage on the congregation.

Main pulpit

Evangelist John being inspired

Strangely, another pulpit is in the north transept which dates from the 17th century and also has the four evangelists' theme.

Spare pulpit

Two organs also are located in the church. At the back wall is the main organ, dating from 1857, with 2,832 pipes. In the north transept is a smaller organ from 1873 built by the same organ maker, Christian G. F. Witte.

Main organ

Spare organ

The area of the main altar now has the tomb of Piet Hein, the Dutch naval commander during the Eighty Years' War against the Spanish (1568-1648).

Main altar area

Tomb of Piet Hein

Johannes Vermeer is also buried here, though he died a pauper and was buried in his in-law's grave. He has just a small stone. A much larger tomb is Elisabeth Morgan's, who is the daughter of Philips van Marnix. He is thought to have written the Dutch national anthem.

Elisabeth Morgan tomb

View inside the gate

Stained glass windows have been in the church since the early 1400s. The fire of 1536 destroyed many of the windows and the Delft Thunderclap (a 1654 explosion of the overstocked gunpowder depot) finished the job. The windows weren't replaced until the twentieth century. A wide variety has been installed, including both biblical and patriotic themes.

Patriotic stained glass

Liberation window?

Detail from a window

The angel burning Isaiah's tongue from Isaiah 6?

Who was Geertruyt van Oosten?
Geertruyt was buried in the church tower in 1358. She had been a member of the beguinage opposite the church. The beguinage was a community of unmarried women who lived together for mutual support. She led a holy and pious and charitable life. Legend has it she received the stigmata, though when people flocked to Delft to see her, she begged in prayer for it to be removed. Her wish was granted as far as the blood flow, but the marks remained. She is venerated locally for her holiness.