The Westerkerk ("West Church" or "Western Church") is a church at the Prinsengracht canal close to the Jordaan district in the city of Amsterdam.
The church was built in the period 1620 - 1631 by builder and architect Hendrick de Keyser. The church tower was designed by builder Jacob van Campen, with it's 85 meters (about 280 feet) spire it is the highest church tower in Amsterdam.
On the top of the spire is a big blue crown, symbolizing the Imperial Crown of Maximilian I of Austria, ruler of a large part of The Netherlands in the 15th century. From 1906 until 2006 the crown was painted yellow. In 2006 the color of the crown was repainted in its original color blue.
Dutch painter Rembrand van Rijn was buried in the northern part of the church in the year 1669. In 1906 a plaque to commemorate Rembrandt was place in that part of the church. Rembrandt's son Titus and Rembrandt's lover Hendrickje Stoffels were also buried in the Westerkerk.
The church is also closely located to the Anne Frank House, where Anne and her family hid from the Nazi regime in the Second World War. Anne mentioned the Western Church frequently in her diary, she could hear the chimes of the church and the church tower could be seen from the attic of the house. A statue to commemorate Anne Frank was placed outside the church on the Westermarkt.
In the year 1969 Princess Beatrix (now Queen of The Netherlands) married Pince Claus in the Westerkerk.
