In the middle of Bergen stands a church with no roof over its nave. To us it is simply the view: Fabel’s sits directly opposite. But anyone who stops for a moment is looking at almost six hundred years of village history. Here you can read how the church became a ruin, when you can go inside and what else there is to do nearby.
In short
- Where: Raadhuisstraat 1, in the heart of the village
- What: a national monument; half church, half ruin
- Outside: the walls and churchyard can be viewed at any time
- Inside: during the Sunday service, concerts and events
- Time: allow half an hour
The Miracle of Bergen
Bergen grew up around this spot. According to tradition, a small box containing a communion wafer washed ashore in 1422, and the seawater inside turned red as blood. This became known as the Miracle of Bergen, and it drew pilgrims from far and wide. A chapel was built, and it soon became too small.
Between roughly 1450 and 1520 a large pilgrimage church rose here, at the time the largest in North Holland. The village grew around it.
On 21 February 1574 the church went up in flames.
The fire of 1574
During the Eighty Years’ War the Geuzen, the Dutch rebels, plundered the church and set it alight. A large part was lost, including the tower. What remained standing was never demolished.
Between 1594 and 1597 the choir was rebuilt as a Protestant church; the nave stayed a ruin. That is how the picture you see today came about: a complete church attached to the walls of a far larger building that no longer exists. In 2024 that was exactly 450 years ago.
What you see today
The church was restored between 1955 and 1961. That is why you will see a 1950s date on the façade, even though the building is centuries older.
Inside you will find a wooden plank ceiling on painted posts, golden chandeliers and a green-and-gold organ. Outside you walk along the high walls of the old nave and through the churchyard. The small tower holds a carillon of 26 bells, dedicated to the Allied soldiers buried in Bergen.
Visiting the church
The Ruïnekerk is still in use: for the Sunday service, for weddings and for concerts. From October to February there are chamber music concerts on Sunday afternoons; tickets are sold through Kunstgetij. If you want to go inside, check the church’s calendar.
The walls and churchyard can be viewed at any time. The light is at its best early in the morning and at sunset. In the evening the church is illuminated, and on Saturdays the weekly market is set up around it.
Coming by car? The website of the municipality of Bergen lists the car parks and rates in the centre. By bike is easiest; you can leave it right outside the door.
Nearby
- Museum Kranenburgh: the art of the Bergen School and a sculpture garden, a ten-minute walk away.
- Museum Het Sterkenhuis: the history of the village, in a house with a seventeenth-century façade.
- Galleries and studios: in the small streets around the church; Bergen is known as an artists’ village for good reason.
- The Bergen Woods: on the edge of the village, with the dunes beyond.
Want to make a full day of it? Read a day in the artists’ village of Bergen.
Fabel’s tip
Pop into the church first, then take a seat on our heated terrace directly across the street. In the morning for coffee with cake from Patisserie Roos, later in the day for a drink with a view of the old walls. No need to book.
Good to know
Why is it called the Ruïnekerk?
Because a large part of the church burned down in 1574 and was never rebuilt. Only the choir became a church again; the rest remained a ruin.
Is the Ruïnekerk free to visit?
Yes, the walls and churchyard can be viewed freely at any time. You can go inside during services, concerts and events; for concerts you usually buy a ticket.
How old is the Ruïnekerk?
The church was built between roughly 1450 and 1520, on the site of a chapel that was built after the Miracle of Bergen in 1422.
Where can you eat and drink near the Ruïnekerk?
At Fabel’s, directly opposite the church on Oude Prinsweg. We are open every day from 09:30 (Saturday 09:00, Sunday 10:00), with a heated terrace.
Written by the team at Fabel’s eten & drinken, Oude Prinsweg 9, Bergen (NH), the Netherlands. Last updated on 9 November 2026.