Nieuwegein (U): St. Nicolaas (A. Tepe, 1874-1875)
From 1688 until well into the 19th century the
St. Nicolaas parish of the village of Jutphaas, now part of Nieuwegein but at
that time still a village, had been using a so-called hidden church, a church
disguised to look like a different type of building, in this case a barn, in
order not to "provoke" the protestant rulers. An important step forward was made
when in 1873 G.W. van Heukelum was appointed priest of the Jutphaas parish. Van
Heukelum was the founder and leader of the St. Bernulphusgilde, The Guild of St.
Bernulpus, an organization mostly consisting of priests that strived for a
Gothic revival in The Netherlands. Several artists were under the protection of
the guild, meaning that they would get important assignments as long as they
conformed to the demands of the guild. The most important of these artists was
architect Alfred Tepe, who in 1873 was just at the beginning of his career. For
Jutphaas Tepe designed a three-aisled cruciform basilica in a neo-Gothic style
that showed a clear influence from Lower-Rhine Gothicism, just like the guild
wanted. Only brick was used; the guild preferred the use of indigenous
materials. |
