Nederland - Roermond, Munsterkerk

The Munsterkerk, or officially Onze Lieve Vrouwe Munsterkerk (Munster Church of our Blessed Mother Mary) is located in the heart of Roermond and is considered being one of the most beautiful remaining examples of late Roman architecture in the Netherlands. Together with some other churches, the town hall and the Princenhof it reflects the glory of the city’s past.

Munsterkerk was built during the period from 1220 to 1265 as an abbey church and place of burial for its founders. For almost six centuries - until 1798 - it served as a monastery. In the 19th century a military barracks was housed in the abbey and the church became part of the barracks.

The church has been mostly spared by calamites and has therefore retained much of its official character. The most far reaching restoration took place at the end of the 19th century under the supervision of the famous Dutch architect P. Cuypers. In 1992 Munsterkerk was struck by an earthquake, after which the eastern towers had to be rebuilt.

Having been an abbey church for the Cistercian order of nuns in Roermond for almost six centuries its interior is not as sumptuous as in many aother catholic churches. Although not that huge I was quite impressed by the sober, yet impressive interior of the church. It has some interesting and beautiful elements, a few of which I have photographed.

PiP 1: interior of the Munster Church
PiP 2: the church served as the sepulchral church for Duke Gerard IV van Gelre. Nine centuries later, the princely mausoleum of him and his wife Duchess Margaretha van Braqbant is one of the highlights of the church.
PiP 3: above the tomb hangs a gilded wrought-iron neo-Roman chandelier, which was donated in 1899.
PiP 4: the apse is the oldest part of the church. It has beautiful stained-glass windows in its uppermost section, representing several saints. They were made in 1953 by Gisèle Waterschoot van der Gracht.