Dutch Reformed Church (Zwartsluis)

The Dutch Reformed Church of Zwartsluis (in Dutch: Hervormde Kerk Zwartsluis) is a historic Dutch Reformed church building located on the Kerkstraat in Zwartsluis, Netherlands.[1]

Dutch Reformed Church (Zwartsluis)
View of the Hervormde Kerk Zwartsluis
General information
LocationZwartsluis, Netherlands
AddressKerkstraat 31, 8064 DM
Coordinates52°38′31″N 6°4′13″E
Opened1604
Renovating team
ArchitectHendrik Schraa - Steeple (1932)
Website
http://www.hervormdzwartsluis.nl/

History

The Dutch Reformed Church of Zwartsluis was constructed in 1604, after the previous medieval church was torn down in 1581. Some of the original structural material was used to fortify the new church.[2]

The building was first renovated in 1649 with a second pillar on the north side, then again in 1743 by expanding two pillars eastwards.[3]

Hervormde Kerk of Zwartsluis was renovated in 1865, whereby the columns between the pillars were split away and the two barrel-formed vaults were supplanted by one enormous put vault with plaster improvements.[4]

Steeple

The original steeple was demolished in 1930 due to deterioration. The steeple was rebuilt by Hendrik Schraa on the southwest side of the church building in 1932.

Organ

The organ in the Hervormde Kerk of Zwartsluis is a designated Rijksmonument.[5]

Clocks

The congregation steeple contains two clocks, one huge and one little. The smaller clock was built by Henrick Wegewart in 1606 and the larger clock was built by Adriaen Steijlaert in 1566. The larger clock was one of the historic thirteen clocks that Steijlaert originally made for the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam. The larger clock is decorated with a ship, the Amsterdam coat of arms, as well as depictions of Saint Peter, Mary, and Jesus.

During World War II, both clocks were taken by German occupiers in 1943. The smaller clock was returned intact, but the larger clock was so extensively damaged that Jacobus van Bergen had to reconstruct it at Midwolda in 1946.

Pulpit

Dutch woodcarver Hermannus van Arnhem is believed to have constructed the pulpit in 1683. It is extensively decorated with woodcarving detail.

Current usage

As of 2007, the Dutch Reformed congregation has been reestablished at the Hervormde Kerk of Zwartsluis.[6]

References

  1. "Herdenking 500 Jaar Reformatie in Hervormde Kerk". de Stads koerier: 5. Jan 17, 2017 via issuu.
  2. Witkamp, P. H. (1841). "Overijssel". In Laarman, J.H. (ed.). Beschrijving der Nederlanden (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Laarman. p. 446. OCLC 64776818.
  3. van der Aa, Abraham Jakob (1844). "Zwartsluis". Aardrijkskundig woordenboek der Nederlanden (in Dutch). 5. Gorinchem. pp. 418–420. OCLC 163415909.
  4. "Toren Hervormde Gemeente Zwartsluis". www.hervormdzwartsluis.nl. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  5. "Gehonoreerde subsidie aanvragen in het najaar van 2017" (PDF). Nieuwsbrief Stichting tot behoud van het Nederlandse orgel. 1801: 2. 2018.
  6. Heleen, Schaapman (May 22, 2017). "Hervormde kerk Zwartsluis houdt boekenmarkt". Zwartewater Krant. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.