St-Clemens Maria Hofbauer-kerk

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

In 1913-1914 erected in neo-Romanesque and neo-Byzantine style pseudo-basilical church by J.W.A. van Gils, named St.-Clemens-Maria-Hofbauer-kerk with neo-Romanesque interior. The nave of the church was enlarged in 1921-22 according to the original design of Van Gils by Jos Cuypers with two bays and a narrow western bay. The phased construction was incorporated by Van Gils in the design, taking into account the expansion plans of the municipality of Hilversum. The tower originally planned in the north-western corner was never realised. The church contains various stained-glass paintings by Max Weiss dating from the period 1941-1964, executed in leaded-glass and mural-glass technique. The church is situated on the Bosdrift facing a forecourt; the church grounds border on the Irisstraat to the north and on the Leliestraat to the south. The church forms an anchor point in the first municipal housing complex designed by Dudok from 1915. Visual axes from the streets were created towards the church. NB In 1968 the liturgical arrangement was altered, with the altar placed centrally in the celebration space on a raised platform. The work of Max Weiss for the Clemenskerk also included a pulpit from 1961 and fourteen Stations of the Cross in mural-glass technique from 1963, now no longer present.

Description

Three-aisled, erected in brick under an assembly of gabled roofs, tent roofs and conical roofs covered with shingles - originally with slates - with roof-ridge ornaments and roof cresting pseudo-basilical church with central celebration space and towards the west a broad nave extending for three bays, towards the east a shallow choir bay with half-round closed apse and transept arms the width of the side aisles. Beside the choir are located in the south-east the sacristy and in the north-east a small annexe on a rectangular ground plan. Narrow western bay under a gabled roof where the main entrance, side entrances under lean-to roofs. In the north-western corner adjoining the Maria chapel on square ground plan covered by a steep tent roof, in the south-western corner against the side aisle and the western bay the former baptistery covered with a dome. The exterior of the church is determined by successive steep gabled roofs placed at the same angle, whereby the roof ridges are at three levels. The gabled roofs of the nave and the transverse arms are at equal height, the crossed gabled roofs above the celebration space are set higher, the gabled roof of the western bay is set proportionally lower. The steep conical roof of the apse and the steep tent roofs above the side aisles strengthen the ascending effect. The bays of the side aisles are covered by tent roofs with roof-ridge ornaments. The wooden celebration-space tower has an ogive-shaped crown with tower cross. The facades are sober decorated with decorative brickwork with accents of black decorative stone. The facades of the transept arms are articulated by climbing round-arch windows, partly with leaded-glass, partly filled with decorative brickwork. The remaining pointed gables are adorned by three smaller climbing round-arch windows. The apse, under a kinked conical roof, is articulated by pilaster strips with round arches in which each a round-arch window is incorporated, filled with leaded-glass. Sacristy, under an equally kinked tent roof, with in each facade two windows with segmental arch and lattice work. West facade with three entrances, each consisting of a double wooden door with wrought-iron hinges. In the middle of the facade a large round window with leaded-glass in brick frame and a few small coupled windows. Main portal with wooden canopy on set-in consoles with a decorative wrought-iron list. Above the double door a mural-glass painting has been applied, created in 1961 by Max Weiss and depicting the Sending of the Apostles. In the west facade of the Maria chapel a commemorative stone with the date 9 October 1921. Between the sacristy and apse there is still a small portal; the entrance at the Irisstraat is bricked up. In the interior the broad nave is separated from the side aisles by an arcade zone consisting of square red brick pillars with red brick partition arches, decorated with white stucco and gold-coloured ornaments. Above the triforium, consisting of four coupled niches separated by small pilaster strips, is located the start of the wooden vault. Red-and-white checkered ribs. The walls of the transept and the side aisles are whitewashed above the red brick plinth. The apse is provided with mural arches resting on black cast-iron columns with natural stone pedestals and capitals. The celebration space is covered by a truncated wooden roof truss structure with heavy beams on cast-iron consoles, decoratively worked stiles and graceful tie rods. The transept arms and the nave are covered by a polygonal wooden roof truss structure with painted wooden ribs. Side aisles, apse and chapels with masonry whitewashed vaults. Sacristy covered by a flat wooden ceiling with principal and secondary beams. In the transept arms and in the right side aisle confession boxes with panel doors provided with leaded-glass. In the west is located the choir loft with open-work balustrade. In the church are located various leaded-glass windows and glass objects created by Max Weiss. In the northern transept five windows (1941), in the southern transept three windows (1947) and two windows (1948) in Limburgian Baroque style with scenes from the life of Clemens-Maria Hofbauer, the rose window in the west facade depicting the Last Judgment (1957), nine windows in the apse with biblical scenes (1961) and twelve windows in the side aisles in which per bay each two windows with beside each other a scene from the Old and New Testament (1964). In the former baptistery two series of four figurative and ornamental windows (of which two different panels which were renewed in 1985). In the north-western chapel two small leaded-glass windows by the hand of the son of Max Weiss, Alexander Weiss. Furthermore a tabernacle on the right side altar with doors decorated with applied figurative painted-glass by Max Weiss. The original wooden church benches are largely still present. The original tile floor is probably still present beneath the later applied wooden church floor.

Valuation

The Roman Catholic St. Clemens church is of general interest because of its architectural and cultural-historical values as an example of a church building with exterior and interior executed in neo-Byzantine and neo-Romanesque style with associated interior components, including various stained-glass paintings by Max Weiss from the period 1941-1964. The church occupies an important place within the oeuvre of J.W.A. van Gils. The church is also of urban-planning importance because of its relationship with the first municipal housing complex designed by Dudok in 1915.