Broerenkerk Zwolle: a church full of books on your city walk

The Broerenkerk in Zwolle is a former church of the Dominican friars, the "broeders" who gave it its name. From the street you see a long brick church with high windows, tucked between the old houses of the inner city.

These days many visitors know it as the church where you can browse books under a vaulted ceiling. Even if you only stop outside, it is a good moment to slow down, look up at the windows and take a quick team photo before you carry on.

Two of our games pass the Broerenkerk: Secrets of Zwolle and The Zwolle Syndicate (outdoor escape game).

Secrets of Zwolle is a self-guided exploration game. On the way you see the Sassenpoort, the Bethlehemkerk and the Grote Markt, solving puzzles together. You play it in the browser on your own phone, no app needed.

In The Zwolle Syndicate (outdoor escape game) you follow Magnus and the stolen formulas past the Grote Markt, the Grote of Sint-Michaëlskerk and In Den Hoofdwacht. It runs in the free Loquiz app and is an outdoor alternative to an escape room.

When you arrive somewhere during a game, you look more closely. A question sends you searching for a detail on a facade, and suddenly you notice things you would otherwise walk past.

The game leads you from stop to stop, so you need no map or guide. You set the pace: pause for coffee, step inside the Broerenkerk to browse, then pick up the story again. It suits friends, couples, families and colleagues. Bigger group? Split into several teams, each on its own phone.

Each game takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Secrets of Zwolle costs €19.95 per team: one phone, at most 4 players. The Zwolle Syndicate (outdoor escape game) costs €19.95 per team: one phone, 2 to 5 players.

You can start whenever you like, any day, with no fixed time to book. Charge your phone, wear comfortable shoes and pick the game that suits your group: puzzles and discovery with Secrets of Zwolle, or a mission through the streets with the Syndicate.