Expansion
Old Church
Categorie: Old Church
As the city of Delft grew, so did the Old Church. In around 1240 the civil servant Bartholomeus van der Made ordered the first expansions: two aisles and a choir.
Competition
The tower was finished in 1350, by which time it was already at an angle due to subsidence. The aisles were later widened and raised to the same height as the nave. But in the early 15th century - perhaps in competition with the New Church - a new series of expansions were begun. The nave ended up being higher than the aisles once again.
Natural stone
In the early 16th century it was decided that the church should be built entirely of natural stone rather than brick. A northern transept was added, which is still distinct from the rest of the church. But the city fire of 1536, and the Reformation in particular, meant that no further work was done.
Skyline
The shape of the Old Church was now set, and would remain a fixture in the skyline for centuries to come. But a number of major renovations would still take place over those centuries.
