Alkmaar (NH): Grote of St. Laurenskerk
The
Grote of St. Laurenskerk is a big three-aisled basilica in
Brabantine Gothic style, the most northern example of this style which
originated from the city of Mechelen, now in Belgium, and one of the
purest examples of the style in the county of Holland.
The church replaced a predecessor on the same location which was badly
damaged in 1468, when its unfinished tower collapsed. In 1470 work
began on a new church, starting with the nave which was completed in
ca. 1495. The nave is three aisles wide, with chapels bordering the
side-aisles, as common with Brabantine Gothic churches. However,
instead of the usual stone vaults, the main aisle was covered with a
wooden barrel-vault. Only the side-aisles and their chapels have stone
vaults.
Several members of the now famous Keldermans family, a family of
sculptors and architects from Mechelen, were involved with the
construction. Antoon I Keldermans is often mentioned as the architect,
although there's only evidence that he was in charge of the
construction from 1497 onwards. Other sources suggest that Andries I
Keldermans, father of Antoon, started the work in 1470 and was at first
assisted by his brother Matthijs
I Keldermans, who was a sculptor. When Antoon took over his father's
position the construction of the transept was already underway, a phase
which
was completed in 1502. This transept is also covered with a wooden
barrel-vault. The third phase, the construction of the choir
and ambulatory, the latter of which has stone vaults, was completed in
1521. Plans to build a tower and
lengthen the side-aisles were abandoned. Instead a brick portal was
built. The church was built of bricks, coming from three demolished
castles nearby Alkmaar. Most of the exterior was clad with limestone
from pits in Brabant.
In
1572 the
protestants confiscated the church. Today it is mostly used for
cultural
purposes.
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