Editing Naarden (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Gem-Naarden-OpenTopo.jpg|thumb|left|Map of the former municipality of Naarden, June 2015]]

The city of Naarden is located in the municipality of [[Gooise Meren]] in the west of the [[Netherlands]]. It is situated in the [[Gooi]] region in the southeast of the province of [[North Holland]].

===Attractions===
[[Image:Naarden Stadhuis 001.JPG|thumb|City hall]]
[[Image:Naarden vestingpoort.jpg|thumb|Fortress gate]]
Naarden is the home of the [[Dutch Fortress Museum]] (''Nederlands Vestingmuseum''). Naarden hosts the bi-annual Naarden Photo Festival and, on [[Good Friday]], a performance of [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]]'s [[St. Matthew Passion (Bach)|St. Matthew Passion]] in the local church, which is called the Great Church or St. Vitus Church.

[[File:The Great Church, Naarden.JPG|thumb|The Great Church]]

The Great Church (''Grote Kerk'') in Marktstraat dates from the 15th century. Prior to the [[Protestant Reformation]] it was named for [[St. Vitus]]. It is one of the oldest surviving churches in The Netherlands, having had the good fortune to survive the Spanish invasion of 1572 and the subsequent burning of the town. The church has numerous wooden vaults painted with scenes from the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s. These were hidden for many years and only rediscovered in a recent restoration. The church is the venue for a number of cultural activities such as organ music nights and the bi-annual Naarden Photo festival.

[[File:The Spanish House, Naarden.JPG|thumb|right|The Spanish House, with design commemorating the massacre of 1572]]

The Spanish House (''Spaanse Huis''), situated at Turfpoortstraat 27, was originally a church building converted to house migrants. In 1572 Spanish troops [[Massacre of Naarden|conducted a massacre]] of some 700 inhabitants who had gathered to hear a peace proposal. The Spanish then fired on the assembled citizens, and went on to set fire to the town. A plaque above the lintel of the door and below the eaves commemorates the massacre. In 1615, after the population had reestablished itself, they built the city hall on the site. Part of the building was given over to De Waag (The Scales House), the municipal office entrusted with the verification of weights and measures. The building later served a French garrison as a bakery, turning out over 1000 loaves per day. From 1967 until 1992 it served as the Comenius museum. Today, the historic building serves as the Weegschaal Museum.

John Amos Comenius is buried in a mausoleum on Klooster straat. This receives many visitors from the [[Czech Republic]], where he was born. Comenius is known as the inventor of our school system with grades and different classes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://comeniusmuseum.nl |title=Het Comenius Museum |website=comeniusmuseum.nl |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>