Address Grotekerkplein 27
Restrictions Access from 6 years and older, no heels, good physical condition is required
The Sint Laurenskerk, often simply called Laurenskerk, is a Gothic church building and the only remnant of the medieval Rotterdam city center. The first stone for the church building was laid in 1412 and construction began on the 64-meter-high tower in 1449. Due to errors, the tower had to modified and actually rebuilt several times. In 1655 the tower was completed as it stands today.
During the bombing of Rotterdam on May 14, 1940, the Laurenskerk was heavily damaged. Due to the surrounding fires, the tower caught fire and the flames spread to the church, which burned down completely except for the outer walls. Initially, many called for demolition, but ultimately the decision was made to restore the building. In 1952, Queen Juliana laid the first stone for this purpose, but the restoration was not completed until 1968.
