Marekerk & Leidse Schouwburg by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Marekerk & Leidse Schouwburg"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

The Marekerk is a church located on Lange Mare in the Dutch city of Leiden. Construction began in 1639 and was completed in 1649. The design, in the style of Dutch classicism, was by Arent van 's-Gravesande and construction was under the direction of his teacher Jacob van Campen. The sandstone façade of the church with its main entrance, located on Lange Mare, is of slightly later date.

One of the first churches designed for Protestant worship, the Marekerk has an unusual shape, namely an octagonal central building. This can be explained by the fact that the church was specially built for Protestant service: in this, the pulpit is central, with the chairs and pews grouped around it. The construction of the Middelburg Oostkerk, for which Arent van 's-Gravesande was master builder at a later stage, shows kinship with the construction of the Marekerk.

The Leidse Schouwburg was built in 1705 on the initiative of actor Jacob van Rijndorp, making it the oldest theatre still in use in the Netherlands. Located on the Oude Vest in Leiden, on the site of a burnt-down beer brewery, it has been in continuous use as a theatre. The theatre, with its classic bonbonnière shape, can accommodate 541 visitors since a refurbishment in 2009.

Over the centuries, the theatre has undergone a number of large-scale renovations. From 1833, premises on both sides of the theatre were purchased to expand the theatre. Yet the enlarged building proved inadequate and in 1865 the go-ahead was given for a major renovation. Led by city architect Jan Willem Schaap, the auditorium of the Leiden Schouwburg was given its current horseshoe shape, inspired by Italian theatres. A second balcony was also added.