Drawing Zuiderkerk Groengracht Amsterdam

Drawing Zuiderkerk Groengracht Amsterdam.
The Zuiderkerk is the first church designed for Protestant worship in Amsterdam. The church was built near the Sint Antoniesbreestraat in the Lastage, a neighbourhood that was annexed to the city in the late 16th century. Today, this is the Nieuwmarkt neighbourhood. The church stands at Zandstraat no. 17. The piling work for the Zuiderkerk (or Janskerk) began in 1603, and on 22 August the same year, the first stone was laid by Johan Bicker, son of mayor Gerrit Bicker. The 1603 design, in Renaissance style, was by Amsterdam city architect Hendrick de Keyser, son of a cabinetmaker from Utrecht, who had come to Amsterdam together with the city engineer Cornelis Bloemaert around 1591. Although stones from the demolished city wall could be used for construction, the work had to be halted for almost four years due to lack of funds. The church was inaugurated on Whit Sunday 1611; after that, it took until 1614 before the tower and cemetery with its two sandstone gates were also completed. Of these, the gate on St.Anthoniesbreestraat is still preserved. When Hendrick de Keyser died in 1621, he was buried in the Zuiderkerk. His gravestone is still present. Although the church was built for Protestant worship, it was named (St.) Janskerk. (see G.D. Bom H.Gzn)