Best for
History and architecture fans, anyone visiting the Anne Frank House nearby
Time needed
15–30 minutes (interior); tower currently unavailable
Worth it?
Yes for the free interior and history — check tower status separately
Skip if
You were specifically hoping to climb the tower and it's still closed for restoration
About Westerkerk
Westerkerk was built between 1620 and 1631 to designs by Hendrick de Keyser, the city's leading architect of the period, as the centrepiece of a new church-building programme for Amsterdam's rapidly expanding population during the Golden Age. At 85 metres, its Westertoren tower is the tallest church tower in Amsterdam and, because the city's soft soil couldn't support pure stone construction at that height, was built with a brick base, a sandstone midsection and a wooden upper spire clad in lead — an engineering compromise that still stands four centuries later.
The tower is topped with a large blue, red and gold crown, a replica of the imperial crown of Emperor Maximilian I, granted to the city as a mark of honour and used as a recurring civic symbol across Amsterdam ever since. Its bells, cast by the renowned 17th-century Hemony brothers, are still considered among the finest carillons in the country.
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Rembrandt was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave somewhere within the church in 1669 after dying in poverty — the exact location was never recorded, so there's no grave to visit, only a general memorial plaque. More recently, the church gained a different kind of significance: Anne Frank, hiding a few doors away on Prinsengracht, wrote in her diary about finding comfort in the sound of the Westerkerk's bells marking the hours, right up until they were removed for melting down as part of wartime metal requisitioning.
The church interior is free to enter, though the Westertoren tower climb has been closed for a long-term restoration with no confirmed reopening date — check current status before planning a visit around the tower specifically.
What to See: Highlights
- 1The tallest church tower in Amsterdam at 85 metres, built 1620–1631
- 2Topped with a replica of Emperor Maximilian I's imperial crown
- 3Bells cast by the renowned Hemony brothers
- 4Rembrandt's unmarked burial site, 1669
- 5A few doors from the Anne Frank House, whose diary mentions the bells
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Insider Tips
Check current tower-restoration status before planning a climb — it's been closed long-term
The church interior itself is free and usually quieter than the queue outside the Anne Frank House nearby
Combine with the Anne Frank House and a Jordaan wander
Listen for the carillon — it still rings on the hour
There's no marked Rembrandt grave to find — the location was never recorded
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Getting There
Prinsengracht 279, 1016 GW Amsterdam
Open in Google Maps →- 1Tram 13, 14 or 17 to Westermarkt, right outside.
Where to stay
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you visit.
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Should You Visit?
Visit if...
- You're already at the Anne Frank House and want the connected history
- You appreciate Dutch Golden Age church architecture
- You want to see where Rembrandt is buried (unmarked) and the Hemony bells
- You enjoy free, low-key historic sites
Skip if...
- You specifically wanted the tower climb and it's still under restoration
- You're extremely tight on time and have bigger sights ahead
Ready to Book Your Visit?
More to See in Amsterdam
Anne Frank House
The canal house where Anne Frank and seven others hid from the Nazis for over two years — the single most emotionally powerful museum visit in Amsterdam, and the hardest ticket to get.
Jordaan
A former working-class quarter of narrow streets, tiny almshouses and quiet canals — now one of Amsterdam's most charming and expensive neighbourhoods to simply wander.