Basilica of Saint Servatius

The Servaasbasiliek ( Servatius Basilica ) in the Dutch city of Maastricht is a Romanesque three-nave basilica Cross. It is considered the oldest surviving church in the Netherlands.

History

After Servatius, bishop of Tongeren, died 384 in Maastricht, was erected over his grave a wooden memorial chapel. Shortly after 549, this was replaced at the instigation of Bishop Monulphus by a stone church with a crypt. The great influx of pilgrims made ​​a new larger required, which was taken at the turn of the 10th to 11th century in attack. From this construction comes large parts of today's nave, the aisles and the choir. During the second phase of construction in the second half of the 11th century, the transept and the subsequent chapels originated.

In the 12th century the apse was rebuilt and received a dwarf gallery and choir towers modeled after the Speyer Cathedral. ( Built under the provosts Arnold II of Wied, Gerhard von Are and Christian of Mainz ) and the west work with West Choir and Imperial Hall was built around this time. At the beginning of the 13th century, early - gothic portal was built on the south side, perhaps the earliest Gothic building in the Netherlands. More Gothic restoration was done in the 14th century. 1556 the church received between the two west towers a third tower, which was in 1770 replaced by a baroque building.

The pin was removed in 1797 during the French occupation, then used the church as a horse stable. 1804, the basilica was the parish church. Between 1866 and 1900 the Church of the architect Pierre Cuypers was restored cross, made ​​the Baroque alterations will be undone. 1955, the basilica was damaged by fire. In 1985, the Church of the Basilica minor was charged. By 1990, extensive restoration work was carried out.

Art Historical Significance

The west front of St. Servatius church is considered one of the most interesting buildings of the 12th century in the Meuse region. Especially important is the architectural sculpture in the west building, probably produced during the term of office of the Provost Gerhard Are. The 34 capitals are among the most important events in the Meuse sculpture. Pictured are scenes from Augustine's City of God: leaf motifs, animal pairs, battling humans and animals, and people in their everyday work. A close relationship between the Maastricht stone sculpture and the dwarf gallery of the double church in Schwarzrheindorf and a part of the capitals in the palace of the Wartburg in Eisenach was noted by art historians.

Among the possessions of the treasury are the so-called Servatius key (Aachen, IX. Century), Servatius Cross ( Trier, XI. Century), Servatius Shrine (Maastricht, XII. Century) and a patriarchal cross (Nuremberg / Maastricht, XV c.) noteworthy as an important collection of medieval textiles. Large parts of the church Ark ( including the so-called Einhardbogen or Arcus Einhardi ) went after the lifting of the pen lost by the French occupiers in 1797. Nevertheless, the Servatius treasure is largely the main Cathedral of the Netherlands.

Organ

Gallery

Northern entrance with fountain Servatius

Interior

Priest Choir

Cenotaph of the last Carolingian, Charles of Lower Lorraine

Imperial Hall in West work

Double relief in the West work

Capital in the West work

Statue of Charlemagne

Leaded glass windows

Servatius shrine in the treasury

Old bell in the courtyard Grameer