Koepelkerk - Carnaval des Animaux

The Koepelkerk stands on the Jansplein in the centre of Arnhem, a domed church that has served as both a place of worship and a concert hall. It was built between 1837 and 1838 (some sources give 1839) to a design by the city carpenter Anthony Aytinck van Falkenstein, who took his inspiration from the Koepelkerk in Amsterdam. Construction cost 52,000 guilders. The building was first known as the Nieuwe Kerk and was put up to relieve pressure on the nearby Sint Eusebiuskerk, which could no longer hold its congregation. It soon became a central part of Protestant life in the city. Architecturally it is a monumental Neoclassical building with an octagonal exterior and a round interior beneath the dome. Inside, a large hall is ringed by double layered balconies, and a historic Naber organ adds to the room. The circular plan keeps the space intimate despite its scale, and the acoustics are regularly singled out as especially well suited to music. The capacity is around 480. The church still holds services every Sunday, and on other days the hall is used for concerts and a range of cultural events. Much of the current programme consists of candlelit evenings in which string quartets and small ensembles perform Vivaldi's Four Seasons or arrangements of pop and rock repertoire, including Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Queen and the Beatles, Adele and Phil Collins. Visitors tend to mention the setting and the sound of the quartets in particular. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and it sits in the pedestrian area of the city centre, with no parking on site.