The building of this now-defunct church is closely intertwined with the character of its architect. Pierre Cuypers, perhaps one of Amsterdam's most famous architects, who designed the famous railway station building and the Rijksmuseum, designed this church at the request of the Catholic community, of which he was a parishioner. Moreover, he lived in the house opposite to it, at Vondelstraat 77, and maybe this church, visible to him from the window, was an ant reminder of his dream - to build an entire neo-Gothic quarter west to Vondelpark. The architect's plans were only partially realized, but he became a dear part of the history of the city and in the hearts of Amsterdam's people. Even in his death, Cuypers was extraordinary. He left this world at 93 years, in a cassock of a Dominican monk - like a passionate Catholic.
Historic photo about 1900 By Unknown author - http://members.casema.nl/a.tiggeler/index.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47096874
A personal guide to the museum quarter has been carefully planned and prepared for you by the Conservatorium Hotel. Our hotel is directly related to this exquisite cultural quarter of the city because the conservatory once occupied the building in which the hotel is located. The museum quarter adorns Amsterdam like the Kohinoor diamond adorns the crown of the British Empire. Between them, by the way, there is a direct relationship, which you will learn about from a trip. The walk will introduce you to the history and unexpected twists and turns of the fate of the inhabitants of the quarter, its buildings and houses, and of course, will lead you and learn about the most famous and visited museum square in the world. The walk is planned for the whole day and combines relaxing in the park and visiting museums. However, you can divide the trip into two parts. Architecture, history, shops, and the park from stop 1 to stop 9. Museums from stop 10 to the end of the trip. For your convenience, download the route to your phone, and thus you will not be dependent on a network connection. Have a nice walk.