Grote Kerk (St. Michael's Church)

Enkhuizen is a port town on the shore of the IJsselmeer, in North Holland, and in the seventeenth century it was one of the richest towns in the Dutch Republic. It was a main base of the herring fleet and the home of one of the chambers of the Dutch East India Company, and its wealth built a compact centre of canals, quays, tall houses and large churches. The old town has kept much of this look, and the churches, with their towers, remain among its best-known landmarks. The Grote Kerk is one of them, a Gothic church from the fifteenth century that reflects the prosperity of the late Middle Ages. The details of its history and of its names are hard to confirm, so what follows describes the setting and the kind of building.

The Gothic churches of the Dutch coastal towns share a family resemblance. They are large buildings of brick, with tall windows, steep roofs and a tower that served as a landmark for ships far out on the water. Inside they usually have a long nave, ribbed vaults, columns and a wide open space, and since the Reformation of the sixteenth century they have been whitewashed and stripped of statues and altars, so that light and structure dominate. Small details such as memorial boards, old pews, carved pulpits and organ cases add character, and gravestones may cover the floor. The towers often have carillons, and the sound of bells over the town is part of everyday life.

Enkhuizen has several churches, each with its own character. The Zuiderkerk has a tall tower with a carillon that is a landmark of the town, the Westerkerk is another major medieval church, and the Noorderkerk is a later building from the seventeenth century. The interior of the Grote Kerk is not always open for regular visits, so visitors may need to view the exterior, check the schedule for services and occasional tours, or ask at the tourist office.

The centre is compact and easy to explore on foot. The harbour, with its tower called the Drommedaris, the old town hall, the quays and the Zuiderzee Museum, an open-air museum showing life around the old inland sea, are all within reach. Cafes and restaurants offer fish and local specialities, and a ferry has run from the town across the lake in summer.

The churches suit history lovers, architecture fans and photographers. A walk among them takes an hour, and the town can fill a full day with the museum. Enkhuizen has a railway station, with direct trains from Amsterdam.