St. Nicholas Monuments in the Netherlands

St. Nicholas is found on city streets and various buildings in the Netherlands, showing his long popularity here. Click for larger images.

Amsterdam

Sinter Claes, one of the icon images in the Netherlands, is found on Dam Square. A wreath is placed below the tablet during the annual Sinterklaas arrival parade. The tablet has been on Dam Square since the 1600s. Originally identifying a house it is now on the AB-AMRO bank building.

Bright relief image with crozier & children in tub — *Photo: Marten Mulder*

St. Nicholas from the Bisschop pub, now in the AB-AMBRO building on the same site.

Stone statue with crozier — *Photos: Frank van Schie*

Kaatsheuvel: Efteling

The popular family theme park Efteling features St. Nicholas at St. Nicolaas Plein (Square). Illustrator Anton Pieck designed the original park, including Nicolaas Plein, with St. Nicholas on the gate and fountain.

Haarlem

A special housing complex, the Saints Houses, was built in 1931. Each house has a relief sculpture of its own saint.

The last remnant of the Comans almshouse is seen over the former entrance. It was founded by the Comans Guild (Merchants's Guild) in 1613. The eleven residences were in use until 1854. They were demolished in 1871.

Relief sculpture with two figures imploring the saint — *Photos: Frank van Schie*

Denekamp

The statue of St. Nicolaas with children is in front of the Heilige Nicolaas parish church.

Nicholas with three children — *Photo: Freddy Bakker*

Deventer

Tablet on a house in the Bergkwartier distict commemorates the restoration of the quarter. The saint is shown as patron saint of merchants with three bags of gold; the secretary of the cabinet Kompé is shown as a speculaas doll. The second Bergkwartier image showing St. Nicholas with children is from the gateway into Prinsenplaats, near Walstraat.

Deep relief figure with gold coins spilling & speculoos doll — *Photos: Frank Van Schie*

Deep contemporary relief figure with tub

Nieuwveen

The Sint Nicolaas Hoeve (farm home) was built in 1858 to care for poor elderly farmhands. It is now part of a mixed-use farm that grows crops and dairy cows; the old farmhand home provides luxury accommodation for guests.

Statue in niche — *Photos: Frank Van Schie*

Maastricht

This tile ensemble, 1957, shows symbols of St. Nicholas on the front of a house in Maastricht. The other end has Sinterklaas' sack.

Children in the tub story — *Photos: Frank Van Schie*

Utrecht

This plaque is found on a house at Oudegracht 330. It recalls a time when Dutch houses were identified and named in this way, rather than having house numbers. So this house was "Sinterniclaes."

Sinterniclaes house plaque — *Photos: Frank Van Schie*

Veere

S. Nicolaes house is in Veere, in the province of Zeeland.

Nicholas with tub — *Photos: Marcus Vankan*

Valkenswaard

This bas relief plaque is on the old city hall. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Valkenswaard.

Bas relief with children in tub — *Photos: Frank Van Schie*

Valkenburg

There is a ceramic tablet of Saint Nicholas on the well across from the Church of Holy Nicholas and Barbara. The second tablet is on a house in Valkenburg.

Street banner hangs above procession of St. Nicholas in Valkenburg aan de Geul.

Nicholas street banner — *Photos: Marcus Vankan*

Meijel

St. Nicholas, on horseback, stands in the center of Meijel's shopping area. By sculptor Dolf Wong, it was placed in 1985.

The 15th century statue of St. Nicholas sits in a pedestal shrine in the Ss. Nicholas and Barbara churchyard.

Statue in cage — *Photos:* Kerkgebouwen in Limburg, *used by permission*

This mosaic by Tom Franssen, 1983, is in the St Joseph te Meijel home for the elderly.

Panorama of children in the tub story — *Photos: Marcus Vankan*

Culemborg

On St. Nicholas Day, 1318, Culemborg received their lord city rights, including the market toll, allowing goods to be sold tax-free. The day was chosen because St. Nicholas is the patron saint of merchants; the Culemborg guild of merchants is named for him. St. Nicholas is shown in the guild's stained glass window in the town hall and on the guild's silver symbol..

St Nicholas stained glass — Photo: Jan Wasmus
Used be permission

St Nicholas stained glass detail — Photo: Jan Wasmus
Used be permission

St Nicholas emblem — Postcard: Jan Wasmus
Used be permission

Garderen, the Veluwe

The village of Garderen hosts a Sand Sculpture Festival each year. River sand is used for these complex sculptures, as the grains are angular and hold together. This sand is brought from the Alps. In 2013 the theme was "I love Holland" and Sinterklaas was one of the sculptures.

Sinterklaas Sand Sculpture — *Photo: Bram van Broekhoven*, BraCom fotografie, used by permission

s'-Hertogenbosch

The large painting, about 17 x 7 feet, shows Saint Nicholas as the Patron of the Butchers' Guild. It was painted in 1789 by Quirinus van Amelsfoort. It originally hung in the Butchers Guild Hall and now hangs in the Den Bosch town hall.

St. Nicholas, Patron of Butchers by Quirinus van Amelsfoort, 1789
Photo: Bossche Encyclopedie

Haps

The coat of arms of the former Haps municipality is shown on the former official residence.

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