This church may well have the most unusual history of all old churches in Friesland. The building originally served as a brewery for the monastery Jerusalem. The monastery was commissioned by Gerke Harkema and became known as Gerke’s Monastery, just like the village that later grew around it: Gerkesklooster. After the Reformation the monastery was demolished, but the brewery remained standing. In 1629 it was converted into a church, and only in 1854 was a tower added.
The church has many basket-arch windows, which stand out slightly against the rectangular “house windows” on the east side. Those were added when a two-storey parsonage was created there, now used as an aula and an upstairs hall.
Inside, you can still spot traces of earlier construction phases. In the relatively small, understated church hall there are niches in the walls, and you can clearly see where the brewery chimney once stood. The pulpit and organ are also well worth a look.
Extra information
The Reformed church of Gerkesklooster has a remarkable history. Founded in the 15th century as the brewhouse of the Premonstratensian monastery Jerusalem (also called Gerkesklooster after its founder Gerke Harkema), the monastery later became part of the Cistercian order. After the Reformation, the monastery was seized by the States of Friesland and largely demolished. In 1629 the village received permission and support to transform the remaining monastery brewhouse into a church.
In the church interior, building traces, niches, and the former chimney location are still visible. The modest furnishings include the pulpit with sounding board, and a small organ built by Flentrop Orgelbouw. The benches originally came from the church of Britswert.
Origin: brewery (15th century), Reformed church since 1629
Highlights: pulpit, organ
