02.01.2026 13:32
The historic Vondelkerk Church in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, was severely damaged and rendered unusable due to a fire that broke out in the early hours of the new year. While no explanation has yet been provided for the cause of the incident, it has been claimed that the fire was started by fireworks.
The historic Vondelkerk church located in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, was almost completely destroyed in a large fire that broke out in the early hours of the new year. Following the fire, officials announced that the structure could no longer be saved.
FIRE STARTED IN THE CHURCH TOWER
The fire started in the tower of the church, located right next to Vondelpark in central Amsterdam, around 00:45. The flames quickly grew and spread, causing part of the tower and the church's roof to collapse.
"THE ENTIRE CHURCH MAY COLLAPSE"
The spokesperson for the Amsterdam-Amstelland Security Region emphasized in a statement that the Vondelkerk could no longer be saved, stating, "The entire church may collapse."
There were no reports of casualties or injuries in the fire.
SUSPICION OF FIREWORKS
No official statement has been made regarding the cause of the fire yet. However, some local residents speaking to the Dutch media suggested that fireworks may have hit the church tower. Fire department officials stated that they have not found any concrete evidence to confirm this claim so far.
NAVAL SUPPORT REQUESTED
As the growing fire overwhelmed the firefighters' response, support was requested from the Royal Netherlands Navy for the extinguishing efforts. Due to the strong winds causing burning debris to scatter, many houses near the church were evacuated as a precaution.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS EVACUATED
The evacuated neighborhood residents were temporarily placed in a nearby yoga studio. They were not allowed to return home until the fire extinguishing efforts were completed.
In a statement made in the afternoon, it was reported that the fire was still ongoing, but the church's outer walls remained standing and the risk of collapse had largely been eliminated.
HAD NATIONAL MONUMENT STATUS
Dating back to the 19th century, Vondelkerk was built in 1872 by Pierre Cuypers, who was also the architect of the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. Cuypers described this structure, named after the Dutch poet Joost van Vondel, as "his finest work."
Vondelkerk was used as a Catholic church until 1977. Later gaining national monument status, the building had been hosting private events in recent years. Additionally, a congregation called Liberty Church held services there every Sunday.
FIREWORKS CLAIMED LIVES AGAIN
Meanwhile, the tradition of setting off fireworks on New Year's Eve continues in the Netherlands. According to police data, a record amount of fireworks were used this year. Nationwide, 2 people lost their lives due to fireworks accidents, and hundreds were injured.
Officials noted that the strong winds and the church's expansive structure made it difficult to bring the fire under control.