Until the Alteration of 1578, Amsterdam was a Catholic city. This is then visible everywhere in the city: in the buildings, the rituals, processions, clothing and various other expressions. After that, Catholics were forbidden to give any public expression to their faith. Only since the Constitution of 1798 has every faith been allowed to be practiced freely and publicly. Nevertheless, it took until 1853 before Catholics began a period of reconstruction and, with government support, Catholic churches were built again, also in Amsterdam.

One of these new churches is the St.-Nicolaaskerk, since 2012 the St.-Nicolaasbasiliek, designed by the Catholic architect A.C. Bleijs. Prominently located directly opposite the Central Station and close to the IJ, the church is a clear manifestation of regained Catholic self-confidence. The church was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of the city, on 7 February 1887. In doing so, the building refers to the city's Catholic past. After all, the city's first church - the Oude Kerk - was also dedicated to this saint.

Anyone who enters the church is overwhelmed by the colourful interior. The walls are richly decorated with murals, made by the Catholic painter Jan Dunselman over a period of approximately thirty years. In addition to the more general paintings with biblical themes, we also see paintings that specifically refer to Amsterdam and the church itself. For example, the life of Saint Nicholas is depicted in a series of paintings. But the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam is also depicted in several scenes. By choosing this image programme, the St.-Nicolaasbasiliek has emphatically placed itself in the history of the city of Amsterdam and its Catholic roots.