HISTORIC CHURCH
PIETERSKERK

 

REFORMATION AND PILGRIM FATHERS

 

Pieterskerk Leiden City
Pieterskerk Leiden City
   
As the oldest church in the city, it has a long history. The late Gothic Pieterskerk was traditionally the main church in Leiden. According to tradition already in 1121 a chapel was dedicated to the Saints Peter and Paul. 		  
 










Pieterkerk Leiden City
Pieterkerk Leiden City
   
The present building took approximately 180 years to build, starting in 1390. It was the chapel of the Counts of Holland, who resided near the present Gravensteen.
 

Pieterskerk Leiden City
pieterskerk leiden city

Pieterskerk LEIDENcity.EU

 

De Pieterskerk LEIDENcity.EU

   
Famous Leiden dignitaries are buried here, including the painter Jan Steen and the Leiden professor Herman Boerhaave. It is also the burial place of the scientist Willebrord Snellius. 
 
Pieterskerk LEIDENcity.EU


   
The beautiful stained-glass windows already took a terrible blow during the protestant Iconoclasm. A couple of centuries later the windows were completely destroyed, in the gunpowder explosion of1807. They were boarded up. It wasn't until 1880 that a large-scale restoration took place. 
 
Rapenburg LEIDENcity.EU

 


PILGRIMFATHERS

De Pieterskerk LEIDENcity.EU

   
Pieters Church is known today as the church of the Pilgrim Fathers. Pastor John Robinson was buried here.