Page 244 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

242  WESTERN NE THERLANDS

St Janskerk, Gouda
This former Catholic church dating from 1485 was rebuilt in
the Gothic style after it was struck by fire in 1552. The church
received a number of unusual stained-glass windows from
rich Catholic benefactors, such as Philip II of Spain, between
1555 and 1571. After the Reformation (see pp56–7), the church
became Protestant, but even the fanatical Iconoclasts did
not have the heart to destroy the windows. Prominent
Protestants, including Rotterdam aldermen, donated stained-
glass windows to the church up to 1604. The stained-glass
windows are heavily symbolic of the politics of the time –
Bible stories had to be covered after the conflict between
the Catholics and Protestants, which led to the Thirty Years
War between Spain and the Netherlands.
The Nave
Judith Beheading Holofernes At 123 m (404 ft), this nave is the
This is a detail from a window which depicts longest in Holland. The floor is
Judith beheading Holo fernes. Dirck Crabeth, inset with memorial stones.
who made the window, shows John the
Baptist holding a lamb. Next to him
kneels Jan de Ligne, the count of
Arenberg, who commissioned
the window.

Visitors’
entrance

KEY
1 The Adulteress (1601) Dressed
as a Franciscan monk, Jesus appeals
to the people in the temple to
forgive the adulteress, who is being The Relief of
guarded by Spanish soldiers.
Leiden (1603)
2 North aisle William of Orange
as leader of the
3 Baptism of Jesus resistance of the
4 The Purification of the Temple people of Leiden
5 South aisle against the Spanish
siege of 1574.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp397–8 and pp410–11

242-243_EW_Netherlands.indd 242 16/01/17 12:05 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm