St. Laurentius Church

Listen to the audio tour: https://523.myt.li/tours/1096365371/stops/1203950569/index.html

With its pointed tower of 65 meters high, the St. Lawrence Church is a defining monument in Weesp. The church dates back to 1875 and was built on the site of an old distillery that had been converted into a hidden church for Catholics in the 17th century. Catholicism had been banned since the Reformation at the end of the 16th century, and hidden churches allowed Catholic believers to gather together.

After Catholics were granted freedom of religion again in 1795, it took another 80 years before they built a new church in Weesp in 1875, on the site of their former hidden church. That became the church you see before you today. It wasn't until 1900 that there was enough money to build the tower, which quickly became the highest point in Weesp. After a merger with Muiden, Catholics left this church in 2014, which by then had been seriously sinking. In April 2016, the building was sold to a developer to breathe new life into the structure. It has now become a vibrant place, with a local brewery and distillery, a yoga school, and even a hotel room in the church tower.

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