English Reformed Church, Amsterdam, Protestant church in Begijnhof, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The English Reformed Church is a Protestant church set inside the historic Begijnhof courtyard in Amsterdam, with a plain brick exterior that blends into the surrounding buildings. Inside, large windows let in plenty of light, illuminating white walls, wooden pews, and a simple layout centered on the pulpit.
The building originally served as a Catholic chapel before it was handed over in the 17th century to an English-speaking Protestant congregation that had no place to worship in the city. It later developed formal ties to the Church of Scotland and the Protestant Church in the Netherlands.
Services here are held in English, drawing worshippers from many countries who gather in a shared language. After the service, people often linger in the Begijnhof courtyard, making it a meeting point for an international community.
The entrance is through a gate on Gedempte Begijnensloot rather than from Spui Square, so it helps to look for the gate before crossing the courtyard toward the church. Arriving a few minutes early gives you time to find your way through the narrow passages of the Begijnhof.
The congregation publishes a magazine called The Record that keeps members in contact across continents while also funding work at a hospital in Malawi. This means a small church tucked inside an Amsterdam courtyard has an active reach that extends well beyond the city.
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