The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft and its graveyard are of national importance. The stadholders and monarchs of the Dutch Royal family are interred here, as have thousands of citizens over a 500-year period. The Protestant congregation intends to “future-proof” their use of the Church to ensure the preservation of this monumental part of Dutch history. To do this they want to increase the revenue from the exploitation of the church. This can only be applauded. As part of this plan, however, the congregation proposes to add a 550 m2 “party-cellar” that would house facilities such as toilets and a cloakroom. Ironically, this plan actually has detrimental effects for the preservation of Dutch history as an estimated 2,000 graves would be destroyed by the building activities.

Nieuwe Kerk, Delft Foto: Michielverbeek via Wikimedia
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G.L. Dusseldorp is archeologisch onderzoeker verbonden aan de Faculteit der Archeologie Universiteit Leiden en het Centre for Anthropological Research van de University of Johannesburg.