Buurkerk

The Buurkerk in Utrecht is a historic church that is now known as the home of the Speelklok Museum. The oldest of the city's four medieval parish churches, it was originally dedicated to Mary and was given the epithet Maria Minor to tell it apart from the others. The building was probably constructed in the 10th century in the Stathe merchant district and was first mentioned in documents in 1131. Over the centuries it shaped the city's social and economic life, as many guilds kept their altars here and the city council had its own chapel. The distinctive tower, completed in 1388, rises 55 meters (180 feet) into the sky. It was originally meant to be taller and to carry an octagonal lantern, but this was never built. Instead, it was given a temporary finish that has survived to this day.

The church's architecture went through several important phases. After several fires in the Middle Ages, it was rebuilt as an early Gothic basilica. Because it offered too little space for the growing population, it was converted into a three-aisled hall church between 1434 and 1456. Later extensions in the 16th century gave it a floor plan that is partly five-aisled. Of note is the story of the hermit Suster Bertken, who lived in a cell inside the church from 1457 and was also buried there. A memorial stone on the Choorstraat marks her resting place. Over time the building served various purposes, including as a storehouse for oats and hay during the French occupations. After it was deconsecrated as a church in 1975, it was restored and opened as a museum in 1984.

Today the Buurkerk houses the Museum Speelklok, which traces the history of mechanical musical instruments from the music box to the street organ. The museum rooms are built in such a way that they do not permanently affect the historic church building and can be removed if necessary. Visitors today experience a church that is largely built into the surrounding houses, which underscores its original character as a hub of the city. The tower holds a special set of bells made up of old city bells, such as the bank bell of 1471 and the watch bell of 1541, along with several church bells. These bells are maintained and rung by the Utrechts Klokkenluidersgilde (Utrecht Bell Ringers' Guild). Inside the church itself, wall paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries still recall its religious past, while the organ of 1883 reflects the musical richness of the place.