Lebuinuskerk, Gothic cathedral in Deventer, Netherlands.
Lebuinuskerk is a Gothic hall church in Deventer with a distinctive tower rising above the city. The building combines elements from different periods, including a preserved crypt from an earlier Romanesque church, and houses one of the Netherlands' oldest carillons in its tower.
Construction of the present Gothic hall church began in 1450 on the foundations of a Romanesque basilica. During the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, the interior was fundamentally reshaped, with Catholic murals covered over and religious ornaments removed.
The name honors Saint Lebuin, an 8th-century missionary whose veneration shaped the place's identity. Inside, visitors notice how the space was adapted to Protestant practices, with whitewashed walls revealing the building's layered religious past.
Climbing to the tower top involves narrow spiral stairs and requires some effort, but the ascent is rewarding for those who attempt it. Wear comfortable shoes and prepare for steep, confined passages.
A medieval tiled floor from 1220 lies within the interior, among the oldest of its kind still preserved. Equally notable is an oak pulpit crafted during the Louis XVI era, displaying refined craftsmanship from that period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
