Mheer
(L): St. Lambertus (P.J.H. Cuypers, 1876-1881)
The
highest point of the village, just in front of the impressive local
castle, is the location of the St. Lambertus of Mheer. This location
marks the bond between church and the local noble family De
Loë. Until the early 17th century Mheer belonged to the
parish of Noorbeek. Then, in c. 1626, a first church was built in the
village. In 1787 that church was replaced by another one, which lasted
even shorter. Already by 1865 the church had become too small and was
in a bad state, and plans were made for a new church. Architect C.
Weber would have been the obvious choice for the assignment. In 1864 he
had designed the De Loë family tomb, the small neo-Gothic chapel built
out of marl that stands next to the church. However, the local priest
wanted a church similar to the St.
Martinus in Maastricht and the
church of Pey, which
both were designed by P.J.H. Cuypers. Cuypers made his first design for
Mheer in 1870, but work was stalled until 1876 because the
people of the village of Banholt, which was part of the Mheer parish,
demanded that the new church would be built closer to their village.
Eventually Banholt would get its own church and the church of Mheer was
built in front of the castle after all.
Cuypers' original 1870 design was for a three-aisled church. This
church was meant to be oriented, as usual in that time, which meant the
tower would point to the west, to the castle, while the choir would
face the public road at the east side. Due to the split of the parish,
this design was deemed to large. In 1876 Cuypers made a second plan, a
sober neo-Gothic church with a one-aisled nave and undeep
transept-arms, which was accepted. Although the location made
orientation of the church possible, the idea was now abandoned,
possibly for esthetic reasons. The choir now points to the west and the
tower to the east. In the corners between choir and transept are
additional spaces; a sacristy on the southside and on the north side a
secondary sacristy and the private chapel of the De Loë
family.
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