This thesis examines the changing role of religion and churches in Rotterdam, from the seventeenth century to the present day. Central to this narrative is the Laurenskerk, which both symbolizes and reflects the broader transitions within Rotterdam.

Over the years, the city and its inhabitants have undergone significant transformation—socially, culturally, and architecturally—from pre-war urban development to the devastation of World War II. For centuries and decades prior to the war, the church was the central hub of social life. However, after the immense suffering Rotterdam endured, people no longer found their sense of belonging in the church, but rather in other forms of social infrastructure.

As a result, churches gradually emptied, losing their religious function, with attention shifting toward their aesthetic and historical value. To preserve them, many were repurposed into multifunctional spaces. The Laurenskerk stands as a prime example: a ruin that, after the bombings, became a symbol of resilience and historical continuity, and was later adapted to serve various purposes in order to support its upkeep.

This thesis argues that the evolution of Rotterdam’s churches parallels the broader social shift from religious collectivity to cultural individualism, marking a fundamental change in how urban space and identity are constructed.