Synagogue in Elburg

On 18 June 1397, the Bishop of Utrecht, Frederik van Blankenheim, gave permission to build a parish church in the city centre of Elburg. The church building was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of seafarers. The church was initially not very solidly built. A thorough restoration was started in 1448 to prevent collapse. City accounts show that the reconstruction of the church lasted until 1465. The two transepts (side wings) were built later, as was the sacristy. The consistory room was not added to the church until 1819. The Reformation was a turbulent period. In September 1566, the iconoclasts destroyed a large part of the interior of the church. Statues of saints were destroyed, altars were pulled down and wall paintings were covered with whitewash. From around 1580, Protestant services were held in the Saint Nicholas Church.

In 1863, the innkeeper Lubbertus van Hulzen sold his building on the Beekstraat to the church council of the Christian Separatist Church. Since that year, the text: Peace through the blood of the cross 1863 has been on the facade of this building. The history of the Secession in Elburg goes back to 1835. On 1 December of that year, a written statement was read out at the church council meeting of the Dutch Reformed Church by 6 "male members", who stated that from that moment on they "wished to consider themselves as separated from the Reformed Church". This is where the origin of the Christian Reformed Church of Elburg lies. The first meetings of the Separatists were held in a building owned by Lucas van de Kerk on Bloemstraat 13. For many years, the number of members was limited to a few families. It was therefore difficult to support a minister. The congregation was therefore vacant for long periods. In the 1859 census, the Separatist Church had 53 members. In 1876, the church council even seriously considered closing down the church in Elburg and transferring the remaining members to neighbouring congregations, partly due to a lack of suitable church council members. At the end of 1887, a favourable turnaround occurred. Due to the influence of the Doleantie, a number of members of the Reformed Church transferred to the Christian Separatist Church. In a short time, the congregation grew from 60 to 140 souls. From the 1960s onwards, the church grew strongly. In 1965, the church had 191 members, in 2008 the number had increased to approximately 350 souls. There was particularly great growth in the 1970s, because then Rev. Roos was in this church, while the Reformed Church was served by a minister who was considered too left-wing by many. The number of members then grew in a few years from less than 200 to more than 400. This number decreased slightly due to the problems surrounding Rev. Veenendaal in 1999, but nowadays the number is growing again slowly but surely. Because of this growth, the church building was thoroughly renovated in 1988. After this renovation, the church building offers space for a maximum of 435 people. The interior of the building is characterized by sobriety and simplicity.

Modern church with roof turret. Later new facade cladding.