After the Reformation the catholics became a minority in Apeldoorn. Until well into the 19th century they had no church of their own but instead attended the catholic churches in nearby villages Vaassen and Duistervoorde. In 1843 a catholic church was finally built in Apeldoorn, a simple neo-Classical building with a wooden tower. As the village rapidly developed and became a town, the parish grew rapidly and the church became too small. In 1876 the church was enlarged with a transept and a new choir, but it was not enough.

Some twenty years later the decision was made to replace the church by a new one. The chosen architect was J.W.Boerbooms, one of many former employees of P.J.H. Cuypers' office who later became independent architects. In Boerbooms' own work, there's little influence of Cuypers to be seen. Instead, his churches, he only built six, are influenced by Lower Rhine Gothic, much like A. Tepe's churches, making Boerbooms a follower of the conservative 'Utrecht School' of neo-Gothic rather than Cuypers' more progressive 'Amsterdam School'.

The O.L.V. ten Hemelopneming, also known as Mariakerk, was built in two stages. The three-aisled basilican nave was built in 1897-1898. Boerbooms died in 1899, at the age of 49, and J.Th.J.Cuypers and J. Stuyt were commissioned for the second stage. In 1901-1902 they added the transept and choir in a style matching Boerbooms' nave. Although a tower was also designed, it was not built. A new design for a tower was made in 1944 by J.G.A. van Dongen, but it was not built either for financial reasons.

At the north side of the church a convent and school had been built in ca. 1890. These were demolished in ca. 1985 and replaced by a hideous apartment building which unfortunately disturbs the view at this side of the church.

Since 2013 the Mariakerk is the only catholic church in Apeldoorn that still has its original function.