At the chic Mathenesserlaan you will find the Laurentius and Elisabeth Cathedral, home to an active Roman Catholic parish. The church was designed by PG Buskens, and was built in two phases: the rear was built between 1906 and 1908; the front with the two towers was built between 1920 and 1922.
When the Sint-Elisabethkerk became the cathedral of the Rotterdam diocese in 1967, the name of Rotterdam city saint Sint Laurentius was added to the name. It is striking that the imposing cathedral has been incorporated very modestly into the façade of the Mathenesserlaan. That modesty ends as soon as you walk in: the church has a beautiful interior, complete with neo-Romanesque arches, columns, murals and phenomenal stained glass.
Under the cathedral is probably an unexploded bomb from the Second World War? On Friday 3 October 1941 two bombs fell from an Allied bombing of the church. One did enormous damage to the back and side of the church, but the other is still right under the altar. The chance that the dudser explodes is virtually excluded according to the experts, so you can walk around with peace of mind.
The Laurentius Cathedral is not really close to other Must Sees, so it might be a search for the next step in your trip. Nevertheless, we can recommend a few things. Near the church you will find the Heemraadssingel, where you can walk beautifully. Parallel to the Mathenesserlaan you will also find the New Binnenweg, a typical Rotterdam street with a huge variety of shops. A five-minute walk from the cathedral, at number 263, you can have a cup of coffee at the Urban Espresso Bar.
