Lichtenvoorde (G): reformed Johanneskerk

Although Lichtenvoorde developed into a small town soon after it was founded at the end of the 13th century, it belonged to the parish of Groenlo and had no church of its own. In 1496 a chapel was built, the St. Anthoniuskapel, to be used for masses only. When in 1616 the protestants came to power in the town, the chapel was turned into a protestant church. By that time it was in a bad state, and plans were made to replace it. It took three more decades of fundraising and making plans. In 1645 it was decided to incorporate the polygonal closure of the Gothic choir. In 1648 the new  church was completed, a one-aisled building in a style closely related to the Gothic tradition, although with round-topped windows instead of pointed ones, like so many other early protestant churches. However, the old Gothic windows of the choir kept their shape.
At the front of the church a short but sturdy tower was build. In 1762 the current tall spire was added to the tower. Around the year 1900 the entire church was covered with plaster. In the period 1991-2006 the church was restored.

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