Basilicas in Southern Netherlands

Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sittard, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1883—the first in the Netherlands.

The Basilica was built between 1875 and 1879 specifically for Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Mary.  The neo-Gothic basilica is a pilgrimage church rather than a parish church.

The first two pictures are from Pinterest and the rest are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of SS Agatha and Barbara, Oudenbosch, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius X in 1912—the second in the Netherlands.

The Basilica was built between 1867 and 1880 and is modeled on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome with a façade modeled on the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.  Even the interior is modeled after St. Peter’s complete with a reproduction of Michelangelo’s Pieta and Bernini’s baldachin.  There are several statues, including one for each of the Apostles. 

The top picture is from Flickr and the rest from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Evangelist, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1929.

The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.  The church, built between 1370 and 1530 is an excellent example of Brabant Gothic.  Among the features are 96 flying buttresses, a copper baptismal font from 1492, a 16th Century wood-carved altar piece, at 16th Century wood-carved pulpit, and a 17th Century 65-foot pipe organ case.  The Cathedral Basilica has about 600 statues, including an oak statue of Jesus and Mary from the early 14th Century.  The choir stalls date to the mid-15th Century.  Protestants controlled the church from 1629 to 1810.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady’s Assumption, Maastricht, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1932.

There has likely been a church on this site since the time of the late Roman Empire.  The current Romanesque church (with some Gothic elements) dates to the early 11th Century.  The Basilica was built with coal sandstone.  Major renovations were made between 1886 and 1916.  The church was used from 1797 to 1837 by first the French Army and then the Dutch Army for military purposes.  Among the Basilica’s treasures are a 15th Century baptismal font and a medieval statue of Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

The first picture is from a local website and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Willibrord, Hulst, Zeeland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

The Gothic Basilica is dedicated to an 8th Century missionary and was completed in 1535.  The church was taken by the Dutch Reformed Church in the 17th Century and was jointly held by Catholics and Protestants from the early 19th Century until 1929.  The pipe organ dates to 1612 and one of the bells to 1563. 

The first picture is from TripAdvisor and the rest from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, Meerssen, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1938.

The Basilica is built in a Maas Gothic style and is considered the best of this style in the Netherlands.  A Romanesque church was built around 1100, but was enlarged in a Gothic style after a Eucharistic miracle in 1222 brought pilgrims to the church.  The church was set on fire by invaders in 1465 and a second miracle occurred.  The church continued to be modified over time including recent years.  The Basilica’s bells and carillon were taken by German forces in 1944, but have been replaced.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of SS. Wiro, Plechelm, and Otger, Sint-Odilienberg, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1957.

Around 700 on the site of the current Basilica, three Anglo-Saxon monks—Wiro, Plechelm, and Otger, established an abbey.  Although portions of the church date to medieval times, the current Romanesque Basilica was mostly rebuilt with limestone and sandstone after the Second World War.  The Chapel of Our Lady has a 12th Century statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus.  The Chapel, which is next door to the Basilica, dates to the 11th or 12th Century. 

The first picture is from Pinterest and the others from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. John the Baptist, Oosterhout, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

The Gothic Basilica dates to the 16th Century, but has been restored and rebuilt several times.  It was a Protestant church from 1648 to 1809 even though most of Oosterhout’s people were Catholic.

The first picture is from a local site and the second is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Servatius, Maastricht, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1985.

The current Basilica is likely the fourth church built to house the remains of St. Servatius, a 4th Century Armenian missionary who was an early bishop in what is now the Netherlands.  The Basilica was built in the 11th and 12 Centuries using mostly a Romanesque style, but with some aspects of early Gothic.  Some Baroque elements were added later.  French revolutionaries used the church for a stable starting in 1797 and much of the interior furnishings were lost or destroyed.  Early 19th Century renovations resulted in the loss of additional features.  Some of the damage was reversed in a late 19th Century renovation.  Renovations were needed again after a 1955 fire.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of SS Peter and Paul, Boxmeer, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

There has been a church on the site of the Basilica since before 1000.  At some point, a Gothic church was constructed, but this church was mostly destroyed during the Second World War.  The current Basilica was built between 1946 and 1952.  The crypt contains remnants of the earlier churches.  The crypt is also the location of a Eucharistic miracle.  During a Mass in 1400, the species of wine was transformed into Blood and it splashed onto the altar linens. The priest, terrorized at the sight, asked God to forgive his doubts, and the Blood immediately stopped bubbling out of the chalice. The Blood that had spilled coagulated into a lump the size of a walnut, which can be seen today.  The Basilica also has some 15th and 16th Century statues.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Amelberga, Susteren, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.

An abbey was established in Susteren as early as 711.  It was destroyed by Vikings in 882 but was soon reestablished by St. Amelberga and her Benedictine nuns.  The abbey was suppressed in the late 18th Century by the French Revolution and today only the abbey church remains.  The Romanesque church dates to the 11th Century and was rededicated to St. Amelberga in 1886 upon the discovery of her relics in the church.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Chair of St. Peter of Antioch, Boxtel, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.

The Basilica was built in the 15th and 16th Centuries in a Gothic style.  It was built to replace an earlier church in which a Eucharistic Miracle is said to have occurred.  In 1380, a priest was celebrating Mass and after the consecration inadvertently knocked over the chalice containing consecrated wine which immediately changed into blood and stained the altar linens.  The miracle attracted many pilgrims to Boxtel.  The church was Protestant from 1648 to 1798 and the building was neglected.  It was later restored.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Peter, Oirschot, North Brabant

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.

The Gothic Basilica was built in 1515 and was controlled by Protestants from 1648 to 1799.  The brick church was badly damaged during the Second World War and was restored from 1945-1952.  The tower has six bells.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Martin, Venlo, Limburg

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2018.

The Basilica was built between 1410 and 1610 in a Romanesque style.  The church was expanded and restored using a Neo-Gothic style in 1879.  The church was badly damaged during the Second World War and the onion-domed tower was destroyed completely.  All was restored after the War.  The Basilica has one of the largest carillons in Europe and a Baroque pulpit dating to 1701.

The first picture is from a local source and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilicas in Northern and Central Netherlands

Basilica of St. John the Baptist, Laren, North Holland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1937.

The Basilica of St. John the Baptist was constructed in a Neo-Gothic style between 1924 and 1925.  The church was built with red bricks and has two 165-foot towers.  Seven stained glass windows were made by one artist and five depict the life of St. John the Baptist.

From Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Bavo, Haarlem, North Holland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1948.

The Cathedral Basilica was built between 1895 and 1930 to replace an earlier cathedral for the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam.  The building employs both Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romanesque styles, with aspects of Moorish and Indian styles as well.  It was consecrated in 1898 and is the second largest Catholic church in the Netherlands. 

The first picture is from Expedia, the second from Pinterest, and the last two from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Plechelm, Oldenzaal, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

The sandstone Basilica is named for the Irish monk who established the parish in the 8th Century.  The current Romanesque church was built in the last half of the 12th Century.  The Gothic tower was completed around 1500.  Protestants took control of the building after the Reformation, but because they were few in number, maintenance was often neglected.  King Louis Napoleon returned the church to Catholics in 1810 who began restoration.

The first picture is from Flickr and the last two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Walburg, Arnhem, Gelderland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1964. 

The Gothic Basilica of St. Walburg dates to the late 14th Century, although it was mostly destroyed in the Second World War and then rebuilt.  Unfortunately, it ceased being a church in 2013 and the title of basilica is no longer applicable.  The towers have been converted to a luxury hotel and the nave to an exhibition space.

Both are from Wikipedia.

St. Nicholas Basilica, Ijsselstein, Utrecht

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1972.

The Neo-Gothic St. Nicholas Basilica was built between 1885 and 1887.  Friedrich Mengelberg sculpted the main altar, one side altar, the Triumphal Cross, and the Stations of the Cross.  The Basilica is a place of pilgrimage because of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Eiteren, Help in Need, which dates to the 13th Century.

The top picture is from Pinterest and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Lidwina and Our Lady of the Rosary, Schiedam, South Holland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

The brick and stone Basilica was built in 1881 in a Neo-Gothic style.  It honors St. Lidwina and Virgin Mary.  St. Lidwina (1380-1433) fell while ice skating at the age of 15 and broke a rib.  Her health rapidly deteriorated.  Her legs were paralyzed by the time she was 19 and she suffered pain, bleeding, and poor vision the rest of her life.  It is said that she even lost skin and bones and even parts of her intestines.  Some medical authorities believe she is one of the earliest documented cases of multiple sclerosis.  She fasted frequently and gained a reputation as a holy woman, healer, and mystic.  She had some periods of remission, but died at the age of 52.  She is the patron saint of ice skaters and the chronically ill.  The Virgin Mary appeared to Lidwina when she was a child and told her she would suffer much, but that the Lord would give her the grace to manage the pain and suffering.  

The Basilica has four paintings depicting the life of St. Lidwina and ten stained glass windows illustrating the Joyful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary.  The remains of St. Lidwina are in a Neo-Gothic reliquary in front of the main altar.  The reliquary is made of gilded copper with red and green semi-precious stones. 

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Raalte, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

The Neo-Gothic Basilica was built in 1891-1892.  The 260-foot tall tower has a carillon.

The top picture is from the Basilica website and the bottom picture is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Lambert, Hengelo, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

The Neo-Gothic Basilica was built between 1888 and 1890 to replace an earlier church.  The tower rises 260 feet.  The church was damaged during the Second World War but has been restored.

The first two pictures are from the Basilica website and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Zwolle, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

The Basilica was built between 1394 and 1540.  In 1580, after the Protestant Reformation, the building was converted to secular purposes.  It was not returned to the Catholic Church until 1809.  The Basilica has been the burial site, since 2006, of Thomas a Kempis, 15th Century priest and theologian.

The first picture is from the Basilica website, the second is from TripAdvisor, and the last two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Pancratius, Tubbergen, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The Neo-Gothic Basilica was completed in 1897 to replace an earlier church.  The sandstone tower dates to the 16th Century.  The Basilica has 35 stained-glass windows made by five generations of the same family.

Pictures are from Flickr and Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. George, Almelo, Overijssel

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. 

The Neo-Gothic Basilica was completed in 1902 and the 240-foot tower was completed in 1903.

The first picture is from the Basilica website and the second from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Nicholas, Amsterdam, North Holland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

The Basilica of St. Nicholas was built in the 1880s using several architectural styles, primarily Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance.  The Basilica has a dome and two towers.  Between the towers is a rose window.  There are several murals with religious themes and above the main altar is the crown of Maximilian I—the early 16th Century Holy Roman Emperor.

The first two pictures are from the Basilica website, the third is from Pinterest, and the last two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Callixtus, Groenlo, Gelderland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2014.

The brick Basilica was built between 1906 and 1908 in a Neo-Gothic style, although the interior was not completed until the 1930s.  The church bells were taken by the Germans in 1943 and melted.  They were replaced in 1947.

The first picture is from the basilica website and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Francis, Bolsward, Friesland

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2016.

The Basilica was built between 1933 and 1934 using an Art Deco style.  The exterior uses stone and brick in decorative styles.  The interior features glazed masonry stones in different colors used in large parabolic arches.  A chapel contains a 13th Century wooden Madonna. 

All pictures are from Wikipedia.