Agnietenkapel

About

The Agnietenkapel (Chapel of the Convent of Saint Agnes) is a 15th-century Gothic chapel in Amsterdam. It is the birthplace of the University of Amsterdam and still in use for doctoral dissertations and other university ceremonies, as well as academic events such as lectures and symposiums. The building has held rijksmonument status since 1970.

Convent chapel: The chapel is located on the southern half of Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal, the so-called stille zijde ("quiet side"). In the Middle Ages this area was dominated by some 20 Roman Catholic monasteries and convents. The chapel was built in 1470 to replace an earlier chapel which burned down in the great fire of 1452. It was part of the Franciscan Agnietenklooster, a convent dedicated to Saint Agnes.

After the Alteratie in 1578, when the Catholic city government was deposed in favor of a Protestant one, all monasteries and convents were closed and most were demolished. The Chapel of the Convent of Saint Agnes was one of the few Catholic buildings spared and given a new purpose. From 1631 the chapel was used as an institution of higher learning, the Athenaeum Illustre. The Athenaeum Illustre...