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Geertekerk (Geerte Church), Utrecht
The Geerte Church (Geertekerk) is one of Utrecht’s four medieval parish churches dedicated to Saint Gertrude of Nivelles. It is the youngest and smallest of the group, yet it carries a rich history dating back to the 13th century. Initially built outside the city walls, the church was relocated within the fortified area between 1248 and 1259.
Over the centuries, the Geerte Church underwent numerous renovations. The Gothic main tower—likely the oldest surviving structure—dates back to the 13th century, while the nave aisles were added around 1400. The choir and transept, both built in the 14th century, completed the church’s medieval character. Constructed primarily of brick, the tower houses two historic bells: the Ghertrut (1150 kg, cast in 1477) and the Jesus Maria Johannes (650 kg, cast in 1506).
The church holds a special historical footnote as the final resting place of the Dutch mathematician Laurens Praalder, who was buried here in 1793. However, following the Reformation, the Geertekerk saw a series of unconventional uses, serving at different times as a Reformed church, a stable, a barracks, and a warehouse. In 1855, after severe flooding in the Rhine region, the building even provided temporary shelter for displaced residents of Veenendaal.
By the late 1940s, the church had fallen into near ruin—its roof was gone, and trees had begun to grow inside. Fortunately, in the 1950s, the Remonstrant Brotherhood acquired the site and undertook extensive restoration work. The once-decaying structure was transformed into a simple yet elegant space, its exterior retaining a rural charm. The church’s organ, originally built in 1803 for the Baptist church in De Rijp, was installed in 1956.
Thanks to its remarkable acoustics, the Geerte Church has become a favored concert venue. Further modifications in 2015, including the installation of large glass walls, enhanced its functionality as a multi-purpose event space. Since 2017, the church has hosted conferences, meetings, and public gatherings, seamlessly blending its historical legacy with modern use.
Over the centuries, the Geerte Church underwent numerous renovations. The Gothic main tower—likely the oldest surviving structure—dates back to the 13th century, while the nave aisles were added around 1400. The choir and transept, both built in the 14th century, completed the church’s medieval character. Constructed primarily of brick, the tower houses two historic bells: the Ghertrut (1150 kg, cast in 1477) and the Jesus Maria Johannes (650 kg, cast in 1506).
The church holds a special historical footnote as the final resting place of the Dutch mathematician Laurens Praalder, who was buried here in 1793. However, following the Reformation, the Geertekerk saw a series of unconventional uses, serving at different times as a Reformed church, a stable, a barracks, and a warehouse. In 1855, after severe flooding in the Rhine region, the building even provided temporary shelter for displaced residents of Veenendaal.
By the late 1940s, the church had fallen into near ruin—its roof was gone, and trees had begun to grow inside. Fortunately, in the 1950s, the Remonstrant Brotherhood acquired the site and undertook extensive restoration work. The once-decaying structure was transformed into a simple yet elegant space, its exterior retaining a rural charm. The church’s organ, originally built in 1803 for the Baptist church in De Rijp, was installed in 1956.
Thanks to its remarkable acoustics, the Geerte Church has become a favored concert venue. Further modifications in 2015, including the installation of large glass walls, enhanced its functionality as a multi-purpose event space. Since 2017, the church has hosted conferences, meetings, and public gatherings, seamlessly blending its historical legacy with modern use.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Utrecht. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Geertekerk (Geerte Church) on Map
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Sight Name: Geertekerk (Geerte Church)
Sight Location: Utrecht, Netherlands (See walking tours in Utrecht)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Utrecht, Netherlands (See walking tours in Utrecht)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Utrecht, Netherlands
Create Your Own Walk in Utrecht
Creating your own self-guided walk in Utrecht is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Utrecht Introduction Walking Tour
The earliest settlers to the area now called Utrecht likely arrived millennia ago during the Stone Age. While there are also signs of inhabitation during the Bronze Age, scholars today credit the Romans with building what became the town.
They set up a castellum around the year 50 AD, a fort right at a crossing point on the river Rhine. The fortress marked Rome's northernmost point in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
They set up a castellum around the year 50 AD, a fort right at a crossing point on the river Rhine. The fortress marked Rome's northernmost point in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Utrecht's Historical Buildings Walking Tour
Originally founded by the Romans, and once the most important city in the Netherlands, Utrecht boasts a generous share of historically significant structures. The collection of its architectural masterpieces, one of the richest in the country, dates back to the early Middle Ages.
The amazingly well-preserved pieces of historic architecture in Utrecht showcase the trends and movements throughout... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
The amazingly well-preserved pieces of historic architecture in Utrecht showcase the trends and movements throughout... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles