#oudenbosch

Basilica in Oudenbosch (II).

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On a beautiful afternoon we drove to Oudenbosch. I had read that there was a special Basilica there. Special is a brief description for the imposing building and the rich paintings and decorations. You really don´t know where to look since there are so many details to see that you can barely process it. For people who are physically able to climb the 140 steps to visit the dome. Not only the dome itself is great to see but also the view from above gives a completely different picture.

About the Basilica

The Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara is a special church in Oudenbosch.

In 1425, 4 years after the Elizabeth flood, a new church, the St. Agatha Church, built that would dominate the horizon until the end of the 19th century. At that moment the Basilica of Oudenbosch takes over the horizon and the old church is demolished.

The young priest Willem Hellemons ends up in Oudenbosch after his studies in Rome. When he becomes a pastor, he is only 32 years old and full of ambition. During his studies in Rome, he was inspired by the imposing Catholic Basilicas such as Saint Peter and Saint John of Laterans. When he took office as a pastor, he quickly concludes that the Agatha Church is too small for the rapidly growing number of Catholics in the parish.

In 1865 the first spade went into the ground, but years of preparation preceded this. Willem Hellemons asked the Dutch greatest architect of his time, Petrus (Pierre) Cuypers to design and build the new church of Oudenbosch. Cuypers, a man of neo-Gothics, preferred not to build a neoclassical church, but Willem Hellemons managed to convince Cuypers. After Cuypers made a study trip to Rome and Willem Hellemons received permission from the bishop, construction began in 1865.

Basilica in Oudenbosch.

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The seven heads of Christ in a cruciform pattern in the Basilica of Oudenbosch.

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6/22/2026

Basilica in Oudenbosch (VI).

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Basilica in Oudenbosch (V).

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Basilica in Oudenbosch (IV).

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