If you’re heading to the Dutch city of Gouda, prepare to be impressed by Sint Janskerk — the longest church in the Netherlands and home to one of the most remarkable collections of stained glass windows in the world.

A Quick Bit of Dutch History

To understand why these windows are so important, let’s dive into some quick Dutch history. During the Beeldenstorm (Iconoclastic Fury) of 1566, Dutch Protestants ransacked Catholic churches to destroy religious images. They smashed statues on the ground, slashed paintings, burned books, tore vestments — you name it. These iconoclasts wiped Dutch churches clean of their traditional Catholic trappings to ensure a focus on God alone. Almost every Dutch church ended up with a sparse, bare sort of beauty.

The Gothic Sint Janskerk (St. John’s Church) in Gouda was not entirely spared these ravages, but because the town fathers sided with the Catholics as Dutch Protestants warred against Catholic Spain, they were able to save the incredible stained glass.

The Remarkable Windows of Sint Janskerk

This fortunate turn of events means that the Sint Janskerk has more original sixteenth-century stained glass than any other church in the world. Many of those windows were still being created as the Protestant Reformation raged on, painted by a pair of brothers between 1555 and 1571 as part of a huge rebuild project following the Great Fire of 1552. All of these mid-16th-century windows focus on Catholic religious themes, especially the life of John the Baptist (the city’s patron saint). They are striking not only for their subjects, but for their attention to detail. I loved the clouds in The Annunciation …

… and the architecture featured in Jesus and the Adulteress:

Later windows strayed away from Biblical storytelling and into more nationalistic realms as the city of Gouda switched sides and began supporting the Protestants in the war against Spain (you also see a change in style in later years as Renaissance art began making its mark). The window below depicts the Siege of Leiden, during which Protestants in the Dutch city of Leiden successfully repelled their Spanish opponents.

Another window in this same vein is the Maid of Dordrecht, a portrayal of a mythical maiden who came to represent the United Provinces of the Netherlands during the war.

These windows were added between 1596 and 1603, and rather than tearing out the old Catholic windows, the city just added these new Protestant windows toward the ends of the transepts. The fact that the church contains both Catholic and Protestant windows is highly unusual; there aren’t many churches in the world with this combination. And they have all stayed intact over the centuries, with only a few additions and updates in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Stained Glass Up Close

It’s easy to get caught up in the large-format storytelling far overhead, but the church has several eye-level windows that make it possible to study stained glass paintings in more detail. You can get a really good look at these dogs …

… and at the heraldic shields of donors and powerful families.

The Longest Church

Part of what makes these windows impressive is their sheer number; there are 72 in total, and some stretch as tall as 20 meters high. They are spread out along the length of the longest church in the Netherlands.

Coming in at 123 meters from tip to tail, the Sint Janskerk is much longer than a football field — either the American or the more common version of football (soccer), take your pick. It’s just long. And that somehow makes the windows feel even grander.

Visiting Sint Janskerk

• There is an entrance fee, but it’s worth every penny.
• Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00-4:00
• Entry includes a free audio guide.
• The church has an excellent website with information about guided tours, concerts, and the windows themselves.
• The church is right in the middle of Gouda, so if you’re in town, it’s an easy and highly enjoyable visit.

🖼️ Ready to see more Dutch art? Here’s how to choose between two of the country’s most famous museums—the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis—and why you should visit both.
🏛️ For another glimpse into Dutch craftsmanship and beauty, don’t miss the Teylers Museum in Haarlem.