Keti Koti Guided Tours
1 July 2026
Special Keti Koti guided tours exploring the colonial history of the Oude Kerk.
On 1 July, we mark Keti Koti, the annual commemoration and celebration of the abolition of slavery. The Oude Kerk stands at the heart of a city with a colonial past. Traces of that history can also be found in and around the church itself. During this guided tour, you will discover how the colonial past is reflected in the church and learn about the stories behind these traces.
Tour times: 12:30 and 16:00
Duration: 40 minutes
Admission: Free with a valid admission ticket to the Oude Kerk. Please register at the entrance.
Language: Dutch
Colonial History at the Oude Kerk
Since the seventeenth century, the Oude Kerk has been embellished in part through the wealth generated by the major trading companies, including the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the Dutch West India Company (WIC). Of the estimated 60,000 people buried in the church, only one person of colour has so far been identified: Jacob Matroos Beeldsnijder. In contrast, numerous funerary monuments, gravestones, stained-glass windows and heraldic panels commemorate families whose members were closely involved in slavery and colonial exploitation. In this way, the Oude Kerk bears witness to a painful chapter of history—one that remains an ongoing subject of reflection. In recent years, the Oude Kerk has collaborated with a number of artists whose work has explored the history of colonialism and its enduring impact on contemporary society.
