Bonifatiuskerk

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

Roman Catholic CHURCH BUILDING dedicated to St. Boniface, longitudinal in layout and built in 1909 after a design by C. Robbers. The prominently situated object stands to the east of the old centre of Spanbroek on the south side of the Spanbroekerweg. Stylistically the church can be regarded as an example of brick architecture in neo-Gothic style.

Description

Largely symmetrically arranged three-aisle cruciform church with five-sided choir on the south side and with square tower against the north side of the nave. The tapered spire, like the various roofs - such as the composite gabled roof of nave and transept, the lean-to roofs above the side aisles, the various roof dormers and the diagonal roof turret on the crossing - is covered with slate in Dutch bond. The roof truss structures of the roofs mostly have stone finials, the spire and roof turret are crowned with an iron Latin cross.

The exterior is mainly constructed in red brick. At a number of structural points hard stone has been applied while especially in the mouldings the red brick is alternated by yellow brick. The exterior brickwork is vertically articulated by various rows of stepped buttresses, roughcast corner pieces and coupled pointed-arch windows. In the tower, nave and transept these windows are respectively coupled per three and per five openings, with the middle window always being the highest. The choir has per side one tall pointed-arch window with mullions in hard-fired red brick. The windows all have an iron frame with stained glass. The stained glass of the three inner bays of the choir, of the transepts and of the side aisles has representations painted in coloured glass, the remaining stained glass is mostly geometric and is finished in the pointed arches with a floral motif.

The centrally placed tower has a tapered octagonal spire. The tower consists of three stacked segments: the lower segment containing the main entrance of the church, a middle segment containing the aforementioned windows and an upper segment containing, among other things, the louvered openings. This upper segment is roughcast below the base of the spire. This roughcast brickwork is closed off on all four sides by a projecting gable top with half-hip. Below the half-hip a clock is placed on each side. The tower is flanked by staircase towers of unequal height under tent roofs. The front sides of the side aisles with the left and right entrances in turn flank the staircase towers. To the left of the left entrance there is a five-sided baptistry against the side aisle. The main entrance and both side entrances have oak doors with wrought-iron hinges and fastenings.

The nave consists from the north side of the nave to the transept of three bays, the transept (western and eastern transepts) corresponds in width to approximately two bays and the space between the transept to the choir is one bay wide. The transepts have a depth of more than one bay. The nave and transept, as well as the lower side aisles, have four-part cross-rib vaults between ribs.

The interior is still almost entirely in possession of the original polychromy. The brickwork of walls and vaults applied in the interior is mainly executed in yellow brick. Bands, cornices and vault ribs are laid in red brick, decorated by flanking by green-painted brick. At a number of structural points natural stone has been used. All of this is evident particularly in the composite pillars on which the arcades and vaults rest. The floor is tiled with the original tilework and the pew plan also dates mostly from the time of construction. The church interior still contains virtually all the original works of art and furnishings such as the high altar and the two side altars, the communion rails, the pulpit, the font, sculptures and paintings, the confessionals and the pew plan. The paintings are partly on canvas (underside of walls, triforium) and on metal plates (Way of the Cross). The wooden organ gallery has a panel balustrade with beneath it in red and gold the text: "Laudate Dominum In Chordis Et Organo".

Assessment

The St. Boniface Church built in 1909 after a neo-Gothic design by C. Robbers is of general importance due to cultural and architectural-historical value owing to the great preservation and originality of the exterior, the completeness of the original interior and the exceptional quality of the works of art created for the church. The church building with prominent front tower thereby has important situational value.