The blaze started shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) in the church tower located in Vondelpark, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
No injuries were reported. However, dozens of nearby homes were evacuated after strong winds carried burning debris into surrounding streets. Evacuated residents were temporarily accommodated in a nearby yoga studio.
Firefighters and emergency services battled the flames throughout the night, working to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to adjacent residential buildings.
🔥Historic #church catches fire in #Amsterdam on New Year’s Eve, a fire broke out at the #Vondelkerk church in Amsterdam, a building with nearly 150 years of history. The blaze started shortly after midnight, causing the church’s tower to collapse.
— News.Az (@news_az) January 1, 2026
The city’s mayor, Femke… pic.twitter.com/70LbvfrXxp
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
Constructed in 1872, the Vondelkerk originally served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977. In later years, it was repurposed as a venue for events and small businesses.
