R.K. St. Martinuskerk

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

R.C. CHURCH, dedicated to St. Martinus, designed by architect Edmond Nijsten in shake-hands architecture and built in 1957. The building pastor was C.J.A.E. van Roosmalen. The church is situated on a slight elevation beside a modernly laid out square in the centre of Luyksgestel, standing free from the 15th-century tower, to which its predecessor was attached and positioned further back relative to the building line of the tower and the pastory located to the right. The spatial integration of the church was limited by the requirement that the old church had to remain standing until the new one was completed. The architect was given freedom by the diocese to build "modern". Behind the church lies a cemetery. The tabernacle and ornamental ironwork are by Johannes M. Koldeweij (1923-). Besides the protected old sculptures mentioned in the description, the church contains the following artworks: a crucifix dating from ca 1400, a sculpture of St. Lucia, ca 1875-1900, a sculpture of Mary with crown, ca 1600 and a 17th-century chandelier; these were placed in the church at a later stage and do not belong to the original inventory. The sculptures, chandelier and pulpit originate from the old church or from the Holy Cross Chapel in Luyksgestel. Among the stations of the cross from elsewhere, the old stations are still present, consisting of photographs by Martien Coppens of a stations of the cross made by Charles Eijk in Waalwijk.

Description

CHURCH on a square ground plan with an extended priest's choir on the northeast side and on the eastern corner the attached sacristy. The materials used are predominantly concrete and yellow brick and for the roof myrite and rubberoid. Above the nave three transverse roof caps; above the priest's choir three tapering smaller roof caps in the lengthwise direction. The remaining roof sections are flat. The building has a broad overhanging concrete gutter edge. The flat entrance facade (southwest) is formed by cloisters filled with clear glass between concrete columns, with a brick field on either side. In the middle of the facade the entrance section consisting of three portals projects both inward and outward. Above this a simple cross. The left and right side facades consist of brick-filled fields between concrete columns and window strips against the gutter edge. In both facades a small extension for the confessionals. The side facades of the priest's choir consist of windows between deep concrete screens over the full height; the back wall of high brick fields between concrete columns on which roof caps rest. The priest's choir thus forms an expressive building component. Attached to this the wrought-iron gate to the cemetery. The basement story consisting of one storey extended sacristy is flat-roofed and has large windows and a concrete decoration on the rear facade. The chimney against the church is developed through the addition of a concrete structure into a small bell tower provided with a simple cross. In the interior two rows of four slender, slightly convex columns carry the roof truss structure. In the architect's vision they also form visually a light separation of the side aisles from the nave; this created space for celebrations in smaller gatherings while still maintaining unity with the nave. From all seating positions one has a good view of the altar. Through the light penetration at the sides of the transverse roof caps, the window strips at the top of the side walls, the front of the roof caps of the priest's choir, the side walls of the priest's choir and the cloister wall on the southwest side, in which clear glass is used throughout, a special light effect has been created. Together with the uncoloured concrete structural elements, foam concrete blocks applied for the internal walls and roof panels with very limited further colour accents, this gives the interior a distinctive and serene atmosphere. By applying different (standard) formats of foam concrete blocks and darkening a portion of the jointing slightly and application of edges of cleanly laid yellow brick, the walls have been decorated. The floor is covered with greyish-yellow tiles. The altar made of natural stone has been moved forward on the priest's choir, which is two (curved) steps higher than the church space. The altar elevation itself and the wrought-iron communion rails have disappeared. Of the two cloister walls that originally separated the side aisles on the priest's choir side behind side altars, the left one has been replaced by an organ which is not of value from the point of view of heritage preservation; on the side altar to the right now stands (2009) the tabernacle, designed by Koldeweij; beside it the sanctuary lamp of ornamental ironwork. Against a column on the left side stands the wooden pulpit on pedestal with staircase with wood carving from 1843. On the southwest side to the left of the entrance the oval recessed baptismal space, separated by a wrought-iron railing. In it a natural stone baptismal font with bronze lid. To the right of the entrance a Marian chapel is separated off by wrought-iron railings. On either side of the entrance free-standing natural stone holy water basins. The artificial lighting is provided by the original spotlights, attached to the concrete beams that carry the transverse roof caps and likewise original glass bolar fittings along both side facades. The bench block in the left side aisle comes from the old church. The benches in the nave and right side aisle were designed together with the church. In the church are located a wooden CRUCIFIX dating from around 1500, with a JOHN and MARY from the 15th century; a 17th-century PIETA; a large 18th-century group of ST. MARTIN on horseback with beggar; a 17th-century MADONNA, 16th-century JOHN THE BAPTIST and furthermore a sculpture of ST. ELIZABETH (16th century?).

Valuation

R.C. CHURCH of general cultural, architectural-historical and urban planning importance as an evident exemplar of the post-war reconstruction period: - as an example of the innovative freedom that the architect was given during the post-war reconstruction period to create a contemporary design; - as an example of the innovative material use in church architecture during the period (concrete and foam concrete, myrite); - on account of the high-quality aesthetic qualities realised with innovative austere materials and careful simple design; - on account of the distinctive serene atmosphere created by the interplay of daylight through clear glass and material use; - on account of the spatial integration of the church through which it, standing free beside the 15th-century tower, has acquired its own entirely distinct character and contemporary nature.