The Nave
The nave is the magnificent central hall of the Pieterskerk. Both sides of the nave display rare treasures including the Van Hagerbeer organ, the Thomas Hill organs and the following:
Graves
Hatchments
Pulpit
Leiden mummy
Graves
Some beautiful graveslabs can be found in the nave:
In the Middle Ages, it was customary to bury the dead in and around churches. A number of grave slabs have been preserved in the nave of the Pieterskerk. Grave slabs were often reused and the old stone was chipped off or a new inscription was chiselled over the old one. Sometimes the slab was turned over so that the back could be used. Rented or owned graves were registered in the grave books.
Many rich and beautifully carved grave slabs were severely damaged during the French occupation. In this period of "liberty, equality and brotherhood", the motto of equality resulted in the hewing off of noble titles and coats of arms. There had been more than 450 armorial shields in the Pieterskerk but they were removed from the churches. It was only in 1890 that a burial law came into effect that definitively forbade burial in churches and thus cemeteries were established outside of the city on a large scale.
Due to the presence of the university in Leiden, many scholars were buried in the Pieterskerk. The most beautiful grave slabs are in the choir but unfortunately cannot be seen. With the passage of centuries, many grave slabs have deteriorated, disappeared, or been used for other purposes.
Hatchments
Many people were buried in the Pieterskerk. In order to be remembered after death, people had their names and coats of arms engraved on their graves or those of family members. Prominent persons could also hang hatchments in the church to ensure that even in the far future, who they were -- and how important they were -- would never be forgotten.
Therefore, the hatchment had to display this information very clearly. If a person was significant due to his deeds in life, a text on the hatchment made the most of these achievements. If a person was prominent because of his birth (nobility and aristocracy), it was generally sufficient to portray the coat of arms of their family. Fine examples of hatchments can be found in the southern aisle of the transept.
Pulpit
The richly carved Late Gothic pulpit dates from 1532. It is attributed to Pieter Cornelisz Kunst, son of the renowned painter Cornelis Engebrechtsz. The octagonal pulpit is made of oak and rests on a pedestal of natural stone; under that, the base is in two parts. The pulpit has panels with Late Gothic carvings that include such Renaissance details as balusters. It is likely that there were statues on the stands.
Leiden mummy
During restoration work in 1979, workmen found a mummified body when they broke open the wooden floor in the nave close to the pulpit. Read more about the Leiden mummy under Art treasures.
