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. |
