The combination of a facade
in Renaissance style, a Romanesque nave and transept and a Gothic choir
immediately makes it clear that this church has a long history. The St.
John's church was built as the northern end of a cross of churches of
which the first cathedral was the center, and must originally have been
virtually identical to the Pieterskerk
("St. Peter's church") at the east end of the cross. Like that church,
construction of St. John's was started shortly after 1040. Originally
the church had a westwork consisting of a choir and two towers, one of
which collapsed in the 14th century, while the other was demolished in
1682. At the beginning of the 16th century the choir was replaced by a
new Gothic one. In 1580 the church was closed for services and was
given a new function as a library. In 1656 the building became a
reformed church, although the library remained in the church until
1821. After a tornado had seriously damaged much of the western side of
the church in 1674, the last remaining tower was demolished and a new
facade in Renaissance style was built in 1682, designed by Gijsbert
Theunisz. van Vianen. |
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