Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk Organ - Rotterdam, Netherlands
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 51° 55.289 E 004° 29.074
31U E 602091 N 5753346
This church is the only remaining piece of medieval Rotterdam and was built in the 18th century.
Waymark Code: WMCT63
Location: Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Date Posted: 10/09/2011
Views: 17
Although the Church's website does not indicate the date that this organ (The Main Organ) was built, it does indicate that all three of the organs in this church were constrycted by the same Danish company...and it does list a date of 1725 for one of the other organs.
The website (
visit link) does inform us:
"... the main organ is a new design, after a historic example, by one of the restoration architects, J. Besemer. The organ cases of the choir and transept organs, however, are authentic, but Marcussen & Søn installed new pipeworks. The main organ has 85stops and is the largest fully mechanical organ in Europe. The possibilities of the organ are almost unlimited, making it suitable to perform music from many periods. A feature of which the Laurenskerk is keen to take full advantage in the programming of the organ concerts...
With this instrument, practically the whole organ literature can be performed, the organ even has an upper case, which, apart from the romantic registers comprises a complete ‘en chamade’, after a Spanish tone character. The sound for this was recorded on a special study trip to famous Spanish organs.
The pipes are divided into so-called ‘works’. In the main organ we distinguish: Brustwerk-rugwerk and Brust pedal-main work-upper work-en chamade work-pedal work. The rugwerk is the ‘small organ’ behind the back of the organist. Above the manuals sits the brustwerk with the brust pedal on both sides. Above that the ‘en chamade’ is found with its characteristic horizontally protruding rows of pipes, after the Spanish example. Immediately above these are the towers and fields of the main work, to which those of the upper work are connected.
The works are flanked on both sides by the pedal towers with their impressive 10m high pipes.
The rugwerk comprises approx. 1850 pipes, the upperwork approx. 1470 and the pedal 1050 pipes. Brustwerk and ‘en chamade’ respectively comprise 925 and 280 pipes. All in all an impressive number of approx. 7600 pipes.
The case that encloses the whole does not only have a decorative but also an acoustic function."
Construction of this church occurred between 1449 and 1525 with the tower being completed in 1655. Unlike many other European cities, this Gothic church is unique here. Especally in this neighborhood, the architecture is dominated by modern and abstract-appearing buildings. The interior of the Church is also different...no particular alterplace. A gigantic organ dominates the center. Two alcoves have ancient gravesites. One alcove has statues of many different saints. There is also an abstract sculpture inside representing many of the more notable sights in Rotterdam.
Read more about the Church at (
visit link)