Grote of Sint Laurenskerk (Great - or Saint Lawrence' Church) is the main Church of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. It is the only big medieval church in the city, aswell as the only medieval church featuring a stone tower. (All the other churches had wooden roof towers)

The church was build from 1449 to 1525 and is therefore a Late gothic church building. In the 15th century before the third floor was raised the tower had a steep spire with a onion dome, which can be seeon on old depictions of the city. Later after the third floor (The one containing the bells) was raised the tower got a wooden spire designed by Hendrik de Keyser who is well known as the architect of the famous church towers in Amsterdam (Westerkerk, Zuiderkerk etc) This spire was much taller than the current one.

Unfortunately due to bad quality of wood it had to be taken down shortly after in 1645. It was replaced by the current stone tower built in Gothic and baroque forms, which has a height of 65 meters.

In the second world war the church was damaged, but luckily rebuilt accurately after the war.

Today it is the last surviving medieval building in the city.


Height: 85m