The Parrot Church on the Kalverstraat Painting

On the busy pedestrian Kalverstraat, amidst the plate-glass shop fronts, lies the neo-gothic facade of ‘H.H. Petrus en Pauluskerk’ or ‘De Papegaai’ (The Parrot) as it is more commonly known. The building is so narrow that the church doors account for almost the entire width of the building. The doorway’s substantial decorated pediment is flanked by two niches, within the right hand niche stands the lifesize figure of St. Joseph, the patron saint of ‘a happy death’, whilst within the left, a large parrot is sat on a perch. I must admit, when I first saw this tableau of death and the parrot it was impossible not to think of Monty Python, but a quick search revealed a much more interesting story dating back to the reformation. During the sixteenth century Catholic churches had to conceal their existence from Protestant persecution. However, under Dutch law Catholics could hold services in a private building providing that the exterior revealed no sign of their activities; hence the development of the city’s schuilkerken (clandestine church). This Church was concealed in a garden behind a regular house that belonged to a bird-trader, the parrot was included in the facade that was added later by way of an acknowledgement and belated thank you.