Grote Kerk

The Schiedam Grote Kerk (Great Church), also called St. Jans Kerk, is not normally open for the public during the week.  During the Open Monumentendag, they had concerts and they opened up the part of the church that is currently under construction for tours.

I did not get to go on the tour in the under-construction because by the time I got to this part of town, I had to choose between this and seeing Liduina's Basilica, which seemed more important.  There was as organ concert going on so I didn't go into the sanctuary but I did hang around outside the door, with a few other tourists, listening for a little while before I headed on through town.  If you would like to see pictures of the church interior, there is a picture gallery available here, that you can look through.






This is a little courtyard by the church where people could meet for the guided tour through the renovations.  That fellow there that is partially obscured by the little date tags was waiting to go on the tour.  You can see the remains of an old extension or shed in the large curved slash on the wall.













This is the side exit to the church.  De Waag is a national monument.  It used to be a kind of future's market for local goods.  Now it used as the office for the Reformed Church which uses the Grote Kerk.  When I first saw it, I thought it meant "the Way" but it turns out that it just means "the Weigh"-- as in "the Weighing House".









There is a very pretty little formal garden at the back of the church and it does have a very nice view.