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Offered languages
- English
From the rise of Calvinism and the iconoclastic fury that swept the city in the 16th century, to the hidden churches born of the Catholic ban, this tour explores how religion intertwined with daily life and political power in the heart of Amsterdam.
As we walk through key historical sites, we'll trace the dramatic shifts that shaped the city's identity: how the Catholic Church once dominated the political and social landscape, only to be swept aside by the rise of Protestantism and the destruction of Catholic imagery during the iconoclastic fury.
You'll visit hidden churches — secret sanctuaries where Catholics gathered to worship in the shadows for two centuries — and see how Amsterdam's later intellectual transformation brought a gradual decline in religious authority altogether.
This tour offers a glimpse into the complex relationship between faith, power, and culture that shaped Amsterdam — and still shapes its identity today.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet at statue "Het Lieverdje" at Spui Square.
Itinerary
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1Begijnhof
We will enter the Begijnhof: Amsterdam's oldest surviving courtyard, built in the 1300s for the Beguines — laywomen living in religious community without convent vows.
15 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2H.H. Petrus en Pauluskerk (De Papegaai)
De Papegaai: a Catholic hidden church, founded 1672 behind an ordinary house front during the period when public Catholic worship was banned. Still active today — it's the largest of Amsterdam's surviving schuilkerken.
10 minutes • Admission ticket included -
Kalverstraat (Pass by)
We pass by the "Heilige Stede", the house along the Kalverstraat where a Miracle happened in 1345, turning Amsterdam into a pelgrimage site.
Admission ticket free -
Oude Kerk (Pass by)
We pass by the Old Church, the oldest building in Amsterdam. Depending on circumstances we enter, otherwise we pass along it.
Admission ticket free -
3St. Nicholas Basilica
St. Nicolaas Basilica: built 1884–87, after Catholic emancipation finally allowed public churches again — a deliberate, visible cathedral facing the station, nicknamed "Kathedraal aan het IJ."
15 minutes • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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