Grote of Maria Magdalenakerk, Goes

The Grote of Maria Magdalenakerk from 1423 stands in the center of the Zeeland town of Goes on a little square south of the Markt opposite the Roman Catholic Heilige Maria Magdalenakerk.

Whether there was a predecessor at this site is not known. The construction of the church in its present form began around 1470 with the choir. They wanted a three-aisled hall church, just like the one in Gouda. Later, however, they switched to the basilica form and only the choir has the shape of a hall church. In 1506 the construction of the transept and the nave began. On September 11, 1618, at about one o'clock, a fire started in the church because the shale draper Hans Henricxsz had badly kept the fire, which he needed for soldering the gutters, in the morning. In the same year they began to rebuild the church which was completed in 1621. The church remained in the late Gothic style. In the 17th century, a tall roof-top tower with a carillon was also built on the church's crossing. The carillon has 47 bells, the heaviest of which weighs 965 kg.

Only the transept and choir are still used as a church, the nave serves as an exhibition hall. The interior is quite sober, like a normal Protestant church. There is also a pulpit from 1594 and the church floor is covered with tombstones. The famous Rev. Bernardus Smytegelt delivered his sermons from here. After restoration of the church stained glass windows by Henk Schilling were installed in 1929 and 1930.

The black redstart, originally a rock dweller, nests on or around this church building.