Breda (NB): Grote Kerk
Breda's Great Church, or Church of Our Lady, is one of the prettiest examples of the Brabantine Gothic style, and the only one that was actually completely finished in The Netherlands. It is especially when the sun shines on its natural stone skin that its beauty becomes apparent. Until 1995 the church was covered with a coat of algae and moss, but after a restoration was completed in 1998 it looks better than before.

the church tower	two yin/yang symbols

The first evidence of a church on this location dates from 1269. This must have been at least the second church. History of the current church began in 1410, when the construction of a new church was started, which gradually replaced its predecessor. The first part that was built is the choir, followed by the nave and side-aisles, the transept and the chapels to the side of the church. A tower was built later. Some sources state that the tower collapsed in 1457. This is uncertain, but construction of the current tower was started in 1468 and was finished in 1509. But the church as a whole wasn't completed until 1547.

at the back	two yin/yang symbols

Cromvoirt (NB): St. Lambertus (C. Weber, 1887)
Although by this time he had already built two of the big dome-churches in neo-Romanogothic style, architect C. Weber chose a much more standard neo-Gothic style for this church. It's a three-aisled cruciform basilican church with a steeple at the crossing. A tower was added in 1891 but was badly damaged in the Second World War and rebuilt to a lower height in 1949. The tower is connected to the church by a narrow trave.


Trifos at the frontside


Oosterhout (NB): St. Jan
Although never completely finished, the tower of the St. Jan (also known as St. Johannes de Doper, St. John the Baptist) is an impressive piece of work, an example of the last phase of Brabantine Gothicism. It was intended to be a copy of the tower of the Great church in Breda, albeit mostly executed in brick, with natural stones used in decorative layers only. Work started in 1519, and when all activities stopped in 1527 (other sources say 1547 and 1552) only the first two segments and half of the third were completed.


The church itself is older. Starting from ca. 1470 a three-aisled Romanesque church was replaced by this late-Gothic church. The choir with lateral chapels, the transept and the western part of the originally three-aisled pseudo-basilican church were finished before 1500. The rest of the nave will have been finished shortly after that.

at the frontside	and at the backside

Due to a restoration by P.J.H. Cuypers the age of the church is not clearly visible. From 1880 until 1883 the church was restored by Cuypers, assisted by J.J. van Langelaar, and as often the architect had little respect for the old church and its historic value. Two more side-aisles were added, with gables for each trave. The transept was widened, as well as given an octagonal stair-tower. Several chapels and a portal were added to the church as well, but these were all removed again during a restoration between 1974 and 1977.


For more information:
Archimon: The virtual museum of religious architecture in The Netherlands