Discover St. Nicholas Church, Broek in Waterland’s oldest landmark with Gothic design, painted ceilings, and a historic organ. Surrounded by 17th- and 18th‑century houses, it’s free to visit and easy to reach.
Rijksmonument: protected as a national heritage site under Dutch law.
Era:
Main structure dates from the late Gothic period before 1400, with major reconstruction spanning 1628 through the 18th century, making it over 600 years old.
Church - a place of prayer and connection with the divine
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St. Nicholas Church
Known also as the Hervormde Kerk, Broeker or Nicolaaskerk is Broek in Waterland’s oldest building and a key landmark. Surrounded by charming houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, the church showcases a late Gothic design, featuring a hall-church layout with two wide aisles and a distinctive five-sided apse. Its prominent tower, rebuilt after being destroyed, stands tall above the flat peat meadows and traditional wooden homes. Inside, visitors can admire painted ceiling frescoes, an elaborately carved pulpit made from rare woods, and a historic organ from the 19th century. The tranquil church square fronts quiet streets lined with historic residences, while nearby lanes and canals provide a typical Waterland landscape to explore.
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