MESSIAH

The Grote Kerk stands at the center of Naarden, the star shaped fortress town built to protect its residents during the Eighty Years' War. The church was consecrated in 1479 and is a national monument. It is a late Gothic cruciform basilica, with a tower dating from between 1380 and 1440. Before the Protestant Reformation it was dedicated to St Vitus, and it is still sometimes known by that name. Over more than five centuries the building has served as a guide for sailors on the Zuiderzee, stood through the Spanish invasion and the era of the Geuzen, and even acted as a stop for 17th century stagecoaches. The feature people travel for is the painted vault from 1518, which is unique in the Netherlands and is often called the "Sistine Chapel of the North." That ceiling shapes how the room feels, and it is the backdrop for the concerts held beneath it. The church remains a place of worship, but it also runs as a heritage venue, with an audio guide experience developed with the design agency XPEX that uses layered soundscapes to tell the building's story. Visitors have noted how pleasant it is to simply sit and listen to it. As a concert space, the Grote Kerk offers a large, high vaulted nave and choir suited to classical and sacred repertoire. During Lent, the church is set up for the annual repeat performances of the St Matthew Passion by the Netherlands Bach Ensemble, a tradition that has become closely tied to the building. The space is flexible enough to hold anything from a plenary setup in the choir to a seated dinner for 600 people. A second historic church, Bij Andreas, lies a short walk away and is used for smaller gatherings. In collaboration with partners, the church also presents a wider cultural program alongside its concerts.