Grote Kerk

English translation

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Description

Great or Our Lady Church (Reformed). Large-scale, Brabantine-gothic CRUCIFORM BASILICA with choir ambulatory, ambulatory chapels, chapels along the nave and high western tower. Walls of Our Lady's choir up to the window sills 13th century, nave 14th century. Rebuilding after the city fire of 1457. Vaulting circa 1500.

Tower lantern begun 15th century, unfinished, against the pillars of this superstructure decorative clock faces installed in 1626.

Our Lady's choir against the northern choir ambulatory completed circa 1500. Only Dutch church entirely vaulted in stone. Columns with curly cabbage leaf capitals.

At the Gelderse Kade large GATE PIERS (18th century) for the tower with FRAGMENTS on either side of the extension of the nave, begun 16th century and never completed, in Gobertanger stone. Oak wooden belfry from the 15th century, with bell by J. Ouderogge, 1681, diameter 169 cm and an anonymous bell from the 15th century. Mechanical wrought-iron tower clock with foliot, 1726 on wooden stand.

Inventory: magnificent choir stalls by Jan Terwen (1538-1541) in renaissance style, later extended westward in simpler style; choir screen of copper and marble (1743), marble pulpit (1756), mahogany baptismal screen, all in Louis XV style; family monument Organ case made in 1671 by Nicolaas van Hagen. Around 1760 this case was externally modified in Louis XV style. In 1859 W.H. Kam placed a new instrument in the old case with Great, Swell, Choir and free Pedal. The monument of the de Roovere family (circa 1723) from elsewhere; numerous gravestones, two candle crowns in the choir (17th century), from elsewhere; mahogany regents' bench (18th century). Screens for various chapels including one with marquetry door (16th century), from the Jerusalem chapel, for the Louis chapel; one (1676) for the Saint Apollonia chapel, one (1679) by H. de Vos for the Meerdervoort chapel and one (17th century) for the Saint Barbara chapel. Next to the sacristy door (15th century) of staircase tower. Organ, marble tribunes and wooden front (both 1671) by Niklaes van Hage of Antwerp. Monuments for John Western (fallen at Willemstad, 1793) and for the seascape painter J.C. Schotel (1839) by A. Singels Zn. after G.N. Itz. Commemorative stones of the Saint Elizabeth flood (1421) and the battle on the Lek (1489) are built into the tower; a copper memorial plaque of the church fire (1457) in the northwestern choir column. Behind the choir benches, on the north side, painted inscription (1534) and memorial board for famine (1557). In the Saint John's chapel two inscription boards (17th century) from the Saint Hubert chapel. In the Munster chapel a coat of arms of the Mint College.

Vault paintings in the choir (circa 1500), others overpainted. Wall paintings: on the northern wall of the choir ambulatory suffering Christ (16th century), fragment (circa 1500) Saint Gislanus, with King Henry I and large cartouche with inscription (17th century). On the columns in the nave: remains of tapestry paintings. Sculptural work: Wooden rosettes on the keystones of the choir vault and some stone sculpture in several chapels.

The church was restored from 1903-1938 under Jos Cuypers, later together with B. van Bilderbeek.

Fine building of general importance due to exceptional archaeological and art-historical value.