Vondelstraat 120A 1054 GS Amsterdam
The Vondelkerk is a church on Vondelstraat in Amsterdam-West. From 1880 to 1977 it was used as the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Catholic parish. Today it is used as office and reception space.
When plans were being made to build a church at Vondel Park 1870, architect P.J.H. Cuypers, who was himself a parishioner, was called in. Cuypers made extra effort on this church in neo-Gothic style, which he overlooked from his home. Queen Sophie organized a lottery in 1873 to support the completion of the church. In 1880, the building was built. It was the first church building in the world to be dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
On October 23, 1969, the Society of Dutch Literature in cooperation with the VPRO hosted a controversial TV program in honor of the P.C. Hooft Award winner Gerard Reve in the Vondelkerk. In 1977, the church was decommissioned. The church was sold to an investor for one guilder. The building was taken over by squatters. In 1984, the Vondelkerk Foundation bought the building. On 31 December 1993 the building was transferred to the Amsterdam Monuments Fund which merged with Stadsherstel Amsterdam December 31, 1999. The Vondelkerk was restored by architect André van Stigt, so that today it is preserved as a multifunctional building for the city.
The Vondelkerk is wheelchair accessible and there is a wheelchair restroom.