Complex Zusters van Liefde

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

The CLOISTER, the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity was built in different phases between approximately 1890 and 1916, of which three still exist today. The architects were W.Th. van Aalst and L. Goyaerts. The style is Neo-Renaissance. The building housed the sisters and pupils of the teacher training school, today the elderly sisters and the administrative section. The window arrangement was altered in 1991, as were some doors. The roof covering was also renewed. In that year various annexes were demolished, both to the west and south of the present building mass.

Description

The whole is a two-storey elongated building constructed of machine-made brick. Different gutter heights and roof forms indicate the building phases. The whole comprises 58 bays. Connecting elements are the sandstone plinth, window sills and string courses, as well as rows of identical windows, mostly under segmental arches with brick mosaic. Originally these were four-pane sash windows on the ground floor and six-pane sash windows on the upper floor. Today all windows are executed as six-pane windows. Other features are the substantial ornamental wall anchors on the ground floor and upper floor, and the segmental arch frieze under the profiled wooden gutter moulding. The facade is articulated by alternating stepped gables and spout gables executed as risalits, furnished with natural stone crosses. Between these are roof dormers which as spout gables break through the gutter moulding.

The oldest section is the part built for the original cloister "the house with the thirteen small cells". This comprises fifteen bays and is placed under a gabled roof with black improved Dutch roof tiles. The northern side facade is finished as a stepped gable with a large stone cross as a crest and sandstone decorative bands. This side facade comprises three bays. The ground floor has windows under round arches, the upper floor under basket arches and the two six-pane attic windows are placed under segmental arches. The arches are furnished with natural stone voussoirs as diamond-shaped keystones.

The front facade is more austere except for the corresponding main entrance and has the following arrangement: nine window axes with above the central one a small stone roof dormer under a gabled roof. Then a risalit with stepped gable of three bays with main entrance and finally again three window axes. The main entrance was partly renewed in 1932 with teak-wood double doors with small windows and a concrete canopy. On both sides iron boot scrapers. In the windows left and right and the fanlight leaded glass. In the arch field relief letters indicate that this is the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity. In the top gable a three-lobed opening is recessed with a six-pane window within. The second building phase comprises eight bays. The gabled roof with black improved Dutch roof tiles has a lower gutter height than the part described above, so that the windows and mouldings are also situated lower. In the middle the roof plane has a brick roof dormer under a gabled roof.

The third building phase with the highest gutter height comprises 35 bays and likewise has risalits and top gables. On the mansard roof there are partly still slates in Meuse and scale covering.

The rear facade has the same window arrangement as the front facade. The decorative elements are simpler, there are no risalits with top gables. The interior has retained a great degree of integrity in its layout and decoration. Behind the main entrance is a large square hall, which was refitted in 1932. Noteworthy is the high panelling of dark green marble, on the right interrupted by the porters' lodge. Above the entrance is in leaded glass the episcopal coat of arms of the founder J. Zwijsen. Right and left leaded glass windows of the Roman Catholic workers' association Tilburg 1852-1932. Depicted are St. Joseph and St. Vincentius à Paulo. The corridors have panelling of cream-coloured bevelled tiles with an ochre-coloured decorative band. All draught doors and the windows to the external courtyard are furnished with floral muslin glass. Organ and organ case are not of value from the viewpoint of heritage care.

Various rooms on the ground floor have, as representative reception rooms, dark oak parquet and panelling. Decorated ceilings are mostly invisible behind lowered ceilings. The old stairwell has been demolished in favour of a lift. The layout of the upper floor has remained the same. The attic was originally a large open sleeping loft, today it is divided into rooms so that missionary sisters from abroad can stay there.

Valuation

The cloister, the Mother House, is of general importance. It has cultural-historical importance as an example of cultural and spiritual development, in particular the founding and growth of Catholic congregations and their care for education and charity, reflected in the gradual expansion of the complex, which is also important as an example of the typological development of congregational cloisters. From an architectural history perspective it is important because of the style and place in the architects' oeuvre. The building is of particular significance because of its location, connected with the development of the city. As an imposing street wall the Mother House is of particular importance for the appearance of the city. The building is valuable because of the integrity of interior and exterior and the particular use of materials and ornamentation. Through its size and integrity as a whole, particularly because of the complicated building history, there is a great degree of rarity in architectural history and functional terms.