Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

A narrow brick townhouse stands on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal with a gabled roof that hides a secret. Inside the top three floors sits a fully functioning Catholic church, complete with an altar, pulpits, and pews. In the sixteen sixties, after the Protestant Reformation banned public Catholic services, Jan Hartman converted his attic into this hidden chapel. He kept the house’s exterior unassuming, allowing his neighbors to worship in private while the city authorities turned a blind eye to his quiet rebellion.