Kerk van Zandvoort

The principal Catholic church of Zandvoort is the Sint Agathakerk, St. Agatha's Church, which is usually called the Kerk van Zandvoort, and it is one of the best examples of Amsterdam School church architecture in the Netherlands. It was built in 1928 and designed by a member of the Cuypers family of architects, a name closely tied to Dutch church building, since Pierre Cuypers designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Centraal Station. The church stands near the centre of the seaside town and not far from the beach, and its distinctive appearance makes it a landmark.

The Amsterdam School was an architectural movement of the 1910s and 1920s that used brick in an expressive, almost sculptural way, with curved lines, decorative patterns and carved ornament. In Zandvoort, the church shows these traits in its brickwork, which is shaped and patterned in ways that go well beyond the ordinary, and in the stone sculptures that decorate the exterior. The stained-glass windows are in yellow and blue, which are the colours of Zandvoort, and they give the interior a warm, coloured light. The church replaced an earlier neoclassical church of 1854, which is now used as a theatre called De Krocht.

Inside, the artworks are a major part of the interest. The sculptor and artist Lambert Lourijsen made several of them, including mosaics, ceramic reliefs and glass, and the work gives the church a unified artistic character from the 1920s. The church is dedicated to Saint Agatha, the patron saint of the Zandvoort parish, and it underwent a thorough restoration in 2007, so it is in good condition today. It remains a church in regular use for services, so visitors should be respectful.

Access for visitors is limited. The church is open to the public on certain days in the summer season, notably Saturdays, and exhibitions are held there in some years, so check the current arrangements. The exterior is visible at any time, and the architecture is best seen in good light, when the brickwork stands out. Zandvoort has other things to see nearby: the wide beach with its pavilions, the dunes, Museum Zandvoort, the Voorstraat and the racing circuit, Circuit Zandvoort, which hosts the Dutch round of the Formula One World Championship.

The church suits architecture lovers, art enthusiasts and visitors who like to find unexpected landmarks in a seaside town. Allow twenty to thirty minutes, and combine it with a stroll through the town and along the beach.