On the location of Sittard some
of the oldest evidence of human settlement in the Netherlands has been
found, but the place itself is first mentioned c. 900. In 1243 Sittard
was chartered, but in that year it already had walls. Sittard became an
important centre of trade at the route from Flanders to the Rhineland.
It seems that until well into the middle ages Sittard was a
German-speaking town. |
The St. Petruskerk is the oldest church of Sittard, and dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. Until 1802 it was a chapter church, with a chapter of twelve canons. The church was started in brick, but later large parts were build in marl. Although the St. Petrus is an example of the Mosan Gothic style, the upper two segments of the tower are neo-Gothic, and were added by architect P.J.H. Cuypers during restorations in the 19th century. Location: Kerkplein |
The St. Michielskerk is a rare example of Baroque architecture in the Netherlands. It was built as the church of the Dominicans monastery from 1659 until 1668. Location: Markt |
In 1635 the protestant minority
in Sittard built themselves a Reformed church, disguised as a
brewery. After this building was lost by a fire in 1677 it was rebuilt
from 1681 until 1684, and this time was clearly recognizable as a
church. The building was changed several times since. |
In 1867 Sittard became a pilgrimage centre for the devotion of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The first few years the pilgrims attended the chapel of the Ursuline convent, but from 1875 until 1876 a special pilgrimage-church was built, the O.L. Vrouwe van het H. Hart, a neo-Gothic church with Romanesque influences designed by Johannes Kayser, and the first church in the Netherlands to receive the honorary title of Basilica Minor. Location: Oude Markt 3 |
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The St. Antonius van Padua is a
one-aisled church in moderate Expressionistic style, designed by J.
Wielders and built in 1917-1918. Built at the same time, and also
designer by Wielders, was the Franciscan monastery next to the church. |
Wielders also designed the church of the H. Hart monastery,
which was built in 1928. The church became a parish church in 1950, 8
years after the monastery was closed. |
Not to be confused with the H.
Hart monastery is the church H. Hart
van Jezus, another design by J. Wielders. This church was built
in
1929-1931. |
The St. Gemma is one of several
churches A.J.N. Boosten designed shortly before his death early in 1951 and
which were built under supervision of other architects later, in this
case by H.J.
Palmen in 1952. The church has a typical assymetrical nave and a monu,mental choir with two
spires. |
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