Bovendonk

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.

MAIN BUILDING of the former major seminary Bovendonk of the diocese of Breda, erected in phases between 1903 and 1908 in Neo-Gothic style according to plans by P.J.H. Cuypers. The U-shaped building is a variant on the ground plan of medieval cloisters and shows in its layout similarities with the previously built seminaries of Haaren and Driebergen. Part of the windows were replaced with plastic around 1995.

Description.

Large U-shaped building consisting of three wings of two and three storeys. The fourth side of the inner courtyard is formed by the chapel (component III). It is constructed of brick with the use of natural stone and is covered with gabled roofs with slate and ruberoid slates. The front building has two storeys and has a tripartite composition. The corner and central risalits each have three bays and have stepped gables. The transition with the rear wings is effected by square stair towers which above the gutters pass into octagonal crowns with spires. On the north side is the five-sided apse of a small congregation chapel. Between the risalits connecting wings of six bays, whereby in the left wing the windows on the ground floor are coupled two by two. The windows consist of cross windows and round-arched windows under pointed arches with infilling of ornamental brickwork in yellow brick. The window divisions have been replaced with plastic. Ornamental brickwork under the roof eaves. Simple rod anchors, partly with lily motif. The gabled roofs have two rows of roof dormer windows, below with four-part windows and above with elegant triangular motifs. The top gables of the corner and central risalits have tripartite niches with images of Francis de Sales, Joseph, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mary and Charles Borromeo. In the central risalit a recessed entrance portal with moulded frame and basket arch whereon two painted angels bearing the text 'Pax Intrantibus'. To the left and right images of Thomas Aquinas and Vincent de Paul and roundels with painted coats of arms including that of the diocese of Breda. The central top gable is crowned with a cross.

The left and right side wings have to the left and right of a stairwell eight and eleven window axes and have in main lines a comparable facade layout with on the floors arched cross windows with sash windows with small glazing bars. These windows are on the north side partly replaced with plastic whereby the division has been simplified. The wings have three storeys with gabled roofs and roof dormer windows. They are closed on the short sides by stepped gables. They are articulated halfway by a risalit with stepped gable, in which the stairwell. These risalits have on the ground floor an entrance above which a high pointed-arch niche with three rows of five pointed-arch windows with breastworks of ornamental brickwork. On the ground floor on the north side there is a library of eight bays, which runs across two storeys and has tall two-part stained-glass windows. Further we find here meeting and study rooms with tall windows. On the south side on the ground floor are rooms provided with segmental arches. Against the end gables of both wings single-storey toilet buildings under gabled roof with ventilation cap. These buildings display a series of narrow and high-placed pointed-arch windows. On the north side at the intersection of the roofs of the stairwell a small tower and in both top gables a clock. On the courtyard side the building has a cloister with pointed-arch windows with six-part division with wooden mullions, between which stained glass. After the staircases this cloister passes into an open gallery, which ends at the toilet buildings and the connecting wings with the chapel. The front building has here on the upper floor a series of pointed-arch niches, filled with two pointed-arch windows and oculus. The long wings have on both storeys cross windows as on the outer facades. The staircases of front building and wings are recognizable on the courtyard side by their tall stepped gables.

Internally the building on the ground floor has an entrance portal vaulted with a net vault. This connects to a cloister running around on the courtyard side with fine brickwork, cross-rib vaults and floors with geometric tile patterns. The staircases display fine brickwork, polished columns with leaf capitals, brick vaults, geometric tile floors and granite steps. They are lit by geometric stained-glass windows. In the front building a stained-glass window with the figures of Mgr. P. Leijten, Prof. A. Resemans, Pius X, P.J.H. Cuypers and President J. Hopstaken. Here also a large window with the text 'Pax Vobis'. On the portal the text 'Salus Exeuntibus'. In the south wing the former dining and recreation hall with segmental rib vaults in brick, resting on a series of polished columns with leaf capitals placed in front of the walls on the long side. Green glazed wainscoting. The vaults display ornamental brickwork and painted leaf motifs on the springings. In the north wing a small congregation chapel with cross-rib vaults. Beside it the large gallery library with rendered vaults and two wooden galleries suspended from wrought-iron rods. The library is lit by tall two-part basket-arch windows. On the upper floors the spaces are accessible by means of plastered central corridors with tile floors. The rooms are largely modernised while retaining characteristic elements such as the panel doors.

Valuation.

The main building of the former seminary is of general interest. It has cultural-historical value as an example of a spiritual development, namely the flourishing of seminary education shortly after 1900 and is also of interest as an example of the typological development of the seminary building. It is of architectural-historical importance because of the style, the particular use of materials and the ornamentation and the complicated spatial organisation with many halls and rooms for various functions. It is also of importance as a late example of the work of architect Cuypers. It has ensemble values because of the coherence with the total complex and is also of importance because of the history and development of the old Court of Bovendonk. It is also of importance in connection with the integrity of the surroundings. It is a rare and intact example of such a building.