Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk Dordrecht Netherlands by Hendrik-Jan Kornelis

About "Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk Dordrecht Netherlands"

by Hendrik-Jan Kornelis

About the artwork

The Grote or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk in Dordrecht, in the Dutch province of South Holland, is the city's largest church. It is a cross basilica in Brabant Gothic style with an unfinished tower and the second oldest church in the city (the oldest is paradoxically called the Nieuwkerk). In 1572, the church came into the hands of Protestants. The church is listed in the 'Top 100 of the Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg' from 1990.

The Great Church had a Romanesque-style predecessor, the foundations of which were found during excavation work under the current building. The present church is built in a rather austere variant of Brabant Gothic of which it is one of the northernmost representatives. It is also the only large city church in the former county of Holland to be entirely vaulted in stone.

The oldest part of the present church is the Mariakoor, a chapel to the north of the high choir that was built from 1285 onwards. Perhaps the elevation to chapter church in 1367 prompted large-scale new construction. The church was severely damaged by a major city fire in 1457, but four years later the damage had been repaired. Around 1470, the church had its current shape. The Flemish master builder Everaert Spoorwater played an important part in its construction. The tower, designed by Anthony I Keldermans, was built from around 1504 but it was never fully completed. The church was last fully restored from 1982 to 1987.