Hartebrug Church
Roman Catholic parish church, built in 1836 by Th. Molkenboer. It was the first openly Catholic church after Catholics were allowed to practise their faith publicly again from 1798 onwards.
The Hartebrugkerk is a special place in the center of Leiden. Many Leiden residents simply know it as the Coeliekerk, thanks to the Latin text above the entrance. This striking building has stood on Haarlemmerstraat since 1836, right next to the old Hartebrug bridge, from which the church takes its name. What once began as the first large Catholic place of worship in the city after the Reformation has now grown into a beloved landmark where history and city life come together.
