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C. Weber
St. Petrus’ Stoel te Antiochië, Uden, Brabant (1886-1890)
A new church was built, designed by architect C. Weber in Uden in Brabant between 1886 and 1890. The church a three-aisled cruciform basilica type church in Weber’s typical neo-Romanogothic style. The crossing is dominated by an octagonal crossing-tower with dome. The western facade has two octagonal towers. The apses are semi-circular at the end of the choir and transept-arms: The choir apse has an ambulatory. The interior is mostly executed in red brick. Like all the other domed churches designed by Weber, it dominates the landscape and can be seen from a considerable distance.
St Bridget’s. Geldorp, Holland (C. Weber, 1889-1891)
C Weber was commissioned to rebuild St Bridget’s in 1887 to replace the medieval church which was returned to Catholic use in 1798 in a ruinous state. The new church was his fourth dome-church. Like St. Bavo’s in Raamsdonk it is a large three-aisled cruciform basilica church in neo-Romanogothic style. The two towers on the west front were not addedin 1895 and were inspired by P.J.H. Cuypers’ Munsterkerk in Roermond.
p.s Finally, the Pugin Society emerges in the text of this book. Apparently, Roderick O’Donnell was unable to make it to the Midleton Park Oral Hearing but did prepare a paper in support of the Friends of St COlman’s Cathedral. Alexandra Wedgwood also sent a letter of support.
Re Cobh Cathedral
I have just come across a very interesting publication to-day. It is a book, published by the FOSCC, in which they outline the case they advanced in favour of Cobh Cathedral at the recent Oral Hearing in Midleton. It makes for some very interesting reading. It is entitled Conserving Cobh Cathedral; The Case Stated and costs a mere Euro 10 with all proceeds going towards defraying legal costs. It is well worth the read!!!
The second photograph of Albany Cathedral is very interesting for it shows another example of an altar rails crossing the entire width of the church as in Cobh Cathedral. The great Professor Cathal O’Neill, at the Midelton oral hearing, gave us to understand that the rail in Cobh is unresolved and may not even have been installed with the aid of an architect. This was an aberation he intends to rectify. I am not sure how much he knows about the neo-gothic. He did not seem to be aware that it was a fairly standard feature in such churches.
The St. Petruskerk in Vught, The Netherlands, (C.Weber, 1881-1884)
Carl Weber, who until then had mostly designed neo-Gothic churches, entered a new period in his career with the building of the Vught Church of St. peter in the 1880s. This was the first in a series of neo-Romanogothic churches with domes over the crossings.
This is a three-aisled cruciform basilical church with an octagonal crossing-tower and a cloverleaf-shaped eastern part. Choir and transept-arms have apses with ambulatories, the transepts are flanked by stair-turrets. The crossing-tower, which already shows similarities with the domes on Weber’s later churches, was intended to be built in brick but was constructed out of wood and lead instead.
E.M.H. Weber
The Church of St. Martin, Vijlen, Holland, 1860-1862
Neo-Gothic church of the Stufenhalle type. Plastered wooden vaults and western tower with diagonally positioned buttresses reaching almost to the top. Building completed ca. 1879. Highest church in the Netherlands.
E.M.H. Weber
The Church of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady, Amstenrade, Holland 1852-1856
Weber’s first church is a neo-Gothic church with two towers and plaster ceilings. The church follows the example of the Stufenhalle.
The Gothic Revival in Holland
Architect no. 3
A. Tepe (1840-1920)
Wilhelm Victor Alfred Tepe is the second most important architect of neo-Gothicism in the Netherlands, after P.J.H. Cuypers. Tepe, the son of a German textiles-merchant who had moved to the Netherlands, was born in Amsterdam on the 24th of November 1840. He studied architecture at the Bauakadamie in Berlin from 1861 until 1864 but was not content with its Classical orientation. In his free time he studied the work of Viollet-le-Duc, the French expert on Gothic architecture, as well as actual churches. From 1865 until 1867 Tepe worked for Vincenz Statz, one of the leading neo-Gothic architects of Germany, in Cologne. Here he was involved with the restoration and completion of the cathedral, an experience that would become of a major influence on his work in the Netherlands.
In 1867 Tepe returned to Amsterdam, where he worked for an architect Ouderterp for a while, and moved to Utrecht in 1872 where he became one of the leading members of the St. Bernulphusgilde (‘Guild of St. Bernulphus’), a group of Catholic clergy and artists who strived to bring back national traditions and craftmanship in religious art and architecture, and which became a dominant factor in this field in the archdiocese of Utrecht. Influences from medieval indigenous styles were especially encouraged, as was the use of indigenous materials, especially brick. In this diocese Tepe built most of his work. Between 1871 and 1905 Tepe built ca. 70 churches, executed in brick with very little natural stone, and taking the late-Gothic 15th- and 16th-centuries’ styles of the Lower Rhine and Westphalia as examples. The interior of the churches was provided by other members of the St. Bernulphus Guild, of which F.W. Mengelberg was the most important. Until 1882 Tepe had an almost total monopoly in the field of church architecture in the archdiocese. Only after the death of archbishop Schaepman did other architects get more of a chance.
Besides churches Tepe designed various monasteries, schools, orphanages etc., all related to the Catholic Church, as well as a few houses. Throughout his entire career his work shows little evolution in style. There are however four periods in his career. Between 1871 and 1876 Tepe tries to develop his style an experiments with several types of churches. His designs are sparsely decorated in this period. The second phase, from 1876 until 1890 sees an increase in decorations. Between 1890 and 1900 builds several churches with centralizing tendencies, mostly in the form of hall-churches. In the fourth period Tepe’s development has ceased, and several of his designs are closely related to some of his older churches. Especially after 1900 Tepe occassionally built churches in Germany, while the competition in his own country became too strong. In 1905 Tepe moved to Germany, where he designed several more churches, and died in DThe Gothic Revival in Holland
Architect No. 2
P.J.H. Cuypers (1827-1921)Petrus J. H. Cuypers, also known as Pierre Cuypers, was responsible for the design of many churches in neo-Gothic style in the Netherlands, and as such is one of the leading figures in the proces of catholic emancipation in the second half of the 19th century.
He was born in a family where an artistic interest was encouraged. Cuypers’ father was a merchant, as well as a church painter. Beginning in 1844, in a time when education of arts in the Netherlands was at a miserably low level, he studied architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerpen, Belgium. Among his teachers were Frans Andries Durlet, Frans Stoop and Ferdinand Berckmans, pioneers of neo-Gothicism in Belgium. Cuypers completed his study 1849 with the best possible results and returns to Roermond as a celebrity. In 1850 he made a journey through the German Rhineland, where he visited the completion of the cathedral of Cologne. Ca. 1854 he attended classes by the French restoration-architect E.E. Viollet-le-Duc, who became one of Cuypers’ friends and a major influence in his entire career. Back home he became Roermond’s town-architect.
Cuypers was the man who brought craftmanship back in the Netherlands’ architecture. His office became a school for many architects who were taught all skills of the profession. Besides this, he also participated in a factory for religious art, Atelier Cuypers-Stoltzenberg, that provided complete church-interiors and was founded in 1852.
Besides designing new churches and other buildings, Cuypers also was responsible for numerous restorations of existing churches, including those of many medieval, now protestant churches. His attempts to restore parts of such churches back to their original state occasionally was a cause of conflict with the protestant community that used such a church. Apart from his architectural work, Cuypers was a gifted artist in other respects too, and his work includes several important monuments, tapestries and a piano, a gift to his second wife.
Although Cuypers’ churches usually are of a high quality, there are many reasons for criticism. Like most architects of that time, Cuypers had no problems with sacrificing the authentic look of a medieval church and replacing it with his own typical style, or even completely replacing a centuries-old church by a new one. Small villages saw their small churches replaced by cathedral-size constructions, and a church in Romanesque style could easily become a Gothic one if Cuypers decided that would be appropriate. He was convinced that his designs could compete with the greatest Gothic churches in France and probably were even better, and likewise thought a restoration was a good opportunity to ‘improve’ a church’s appearance, reason why his restorations have often been called falsifications since. For Cuypers churches and other old buildings were not simply reminders of the past, but objects that still had a function.
On advice of his friends, catholic writer, poet, art critic and future brother-in-law J.A. Alberdingk Thijm and French architect and expert on Gothicism Viollet le Duc, Cuypers moved to Amsterdam in 1865. The official reason Cuypers gave was that he needed a more vibrant and artistic environment. In reality, the controversy over his restoration of the Munsterkerk in Roermond will have played a role in this as well. This also gave him an opportunity to escape from the competition with his rival Carl Weber. In Amsterdam he built some of his most ingenious churches, forced by the limitations of the available space in this formerly protestant city. Besides, he also built several houses here. Although still the master of neo-Gothic, in Amsterdam he started to add Renaissance elements to his more profane designs, like the central station and Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. These two buildings are among his most controversial designs, as many protestants were outraged that a catholic, a second-class citizen in their eyes, was commissioned to design two buildings that were regarded as being of national (read: protestant) importance. It’s ironic that with these two buildings Cuypers in fact invented the neo-Renaissance style, which became very popular mainly in protestant circles.
In 1894 he returned to his hometown, where he died in 1921, after having worked behind the scenes for his son Joseph Cuypers for several years.
Cuypers’ career can be divided in two periods. In the first period, the architect mostly built neo-Gothic churches which are highly influenced by 13th-century French Gothic and , to a lesser degree, Rhineland Romanogothic churches. Alberdingk Thijm urged Cuypers to fully study the Gothic architecture of that period, in his eyes the last truly catholic architectural style, which must be the starting point for the development of a new one. Like their never had been a Reformation. Cuypers’ marriage with Alberdingk Thijm’s sister further increases the bond between the two.
The second period of Cuypers’ career is the more interesting one. From the 1870’s, Cuypers starts combining his style with other influences. His knowledge of the national Gothic styles increases, especially as a result of his being appointed to national advisor for monumental buildings in 1874, his friendship with Victor de Stuers, an activist for the protection of historical buildings, and the expansion of the railroad. Also of importance is the St. Bernulphusgilde (‘Guild of St. Bernulphus’), a group of religious artists the most important of which is architect Alfred Tepe, which is so powerful in the archdiocese of Utrecht that Cuypers has no choice but giving in to their demands if he wants to get commissioned in this area which covers a large portion of the country. Other interests in this period include the Gothic styles of England, Scandinavia and Italy.
Cuypers was respected outside his country too. In 1870 he is appointed Dombaumeister of Mainz and advisor of the archbishop in architecture matters until 1877. In this function he restores the east part of the cathedral of Mainz, as well as restoring several other churches and building a few new buildings, until in 1877 Joseph Lucas, also from Roermond, succeeds him. In Belgium he builds two churches and completes or restores a few others.
Sadly, today Cuypers is usually remembered as ‘the architect of the central station and Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam’. Many of Cuypers’ more important designs have already been demolished or otherwise destroyed, but many still remain. Many of his drastic restorations have in part been made undone as the result of a change of taste.The Gothic Revival in Holland:
Carl E.M.H. Weber (1820-1908)
Although Weber was born and raised in Cologne, it is almost certain that he did not learn his skill at the completion of the cathedral in that city. Where he did, remains unknown. What is known, is that in secondary school Weber was a classmate of Vincenz Statz, who later became one of the leading neo-Gothic architects of the German speaking part of Europe. As the archbishop of Cologne’s advisor on church architecture Statz gained a position in which he could either make or break an architect’s career, although he often was commisioned himself. Not a healthy climate for an ambitious architect to work in, and this could well have been be the reason for Weber to find his luck somewhere else, although until 1858 he stayed a resident of Cologne, at least officially.
Webers career in Germany is a mystery. The only known building he may possibly have been responsible for is a chapel for a monastery in his hometown, which was designed by a Weber, and which happened to be at just a few meters from Carl’s house.
His career in the Netherlands started with the designing of several churches in the province of Limburg. In 1857 he married his second wife (his first wife died in 1850), and moved to her hometown Roermond permanently.
Confusingly, he changed his first name a few times since. Until c. 1860 he called himself both Karl and Carl. Once integrated into Roermonds French-oriented society he started calling himself Charles. Later he used the Dutch equivalent Karel until his death. All these names have been used in the scarce literature that has been published about him.
Weber was one of the major church-architects in the south of The Netherlands; he built 33 churches, many of which in the ‘s-Hertogenbosch diocese, although he was also quite active in Limburg early in his career.
In Roermond Weber became fascinated by the Munsterkerk, a large church in the late Romanesque style of the Rhineland. It became his biggest wish to restore this church, and he began an extensive study of the church. But it’s another ambitious architect from Roermond who was commissioned for this prestigious project. Weber sharply criticized P.J.H. Cuypers’ plans for the restoration, which in many ways were historically incorrect and lacked respect for the original building, after they had been made public in 1863. Although the restoration started in 1870, it was this sort of reaction that prompted Cuypers to trade Roermond for Amsterdam. Weber himself after the conflict mostly concentrated on building churches in Noord-Brabant, and ultimately developed a style that derived much from the Munsterkerk, ironically including the changes made by Cuypers. It’s worth noting that in a book from 1953 on the subject of catholic church-architecture, which is extremely positive about Cuypers, Weber does not even get mentioned. The rivalry apparently lasted until well after both architects had died.
Weber’s career can be divided in two periods: in the first period (until the late 1870’s) his designs were inspired mainly by late Rhineland Gothicism. In this period his work can be regarded as a bridge between early decorative and later, more historically correct, neo-Gothicism. Churches are often of the Stufenhalle-type, a type of hall-church typical for Westphalia, with three aisles under one roof and the side-aisles being narrower than the central aisle. He continues to use early neo-Gothic ornamenture and plaster vaults especially in his interiors for a long period. In the second period influences from Romanesque architecture dominate, making Weber one of the first architects in the Netherlands to break the neo-Gothic monopoly. Weber’s most monumental works are from this second period, and are often notable for the presence of a tall dome at the crossing.
Besides designing new churches, Weber was also responsible for the restoration of many older examples.
The last years of his life he suffered from a disease to the eyes, which made it impossible for him to work.This was one of the issue to emerge at the recent oral hearing with regard to the re-ordering of Cobh Cathedral. Miss Mary Doran, a planning consukltant in Cork, had some interesting things to say on the subject. Attached is the relevant link with her comments a propos:
http://www.foscc.com/downloads/oh/7.Mary%20Doran.pdf
By the way, Mary did a fine job!
The Marian Shrine at Donglu, Guiyang, Hebei Province, China
Accoding to reports, the shrine at Donlu was bulldozed in 1996 to prevent the usual May prilrimage taking place. As late as last year, a force of 5000 troops, heilcopters and otyher “security” forces were out to stop the pilgrimage.
The Marian Shrine of Donglu, near Baoding in Hebei Province, China.
The church at Donglu was originally built as a thankoffering for the salvation of Christians from the terors of the Boxer rebellion of 1900.
The main image of OUr Lady in the Church in Donglu is based on an official portrait of the Dowager Impress Tze
Some further pictures of the Marian Shrine at Sheshan, Shanghai, China
The bronze statue of the Madonna and Child atop the basilica was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. A replica was installed in the year 2000.
In 1866, the Church in Shanghai built a hexagonal pavilion and placed within it an altar and a statue of Our Lady. Five years later, the Jesuits built a church at the summit of the mountain and dedicated it to Our Lady Help of Christians. The church opened in 1873.
In 1924, the China bishops consecrated China to Our Lady, and following the consecration they made a pilgrimage to Sheshan. Work on a basilica began in 1925. It was completed ten years later in 1935. This church was the first basilica in all of the Far East, and it became China’s favourite pilgrim site.
During the Cultural Revolution the beautiful bronze statue of Our Lady at the pinnacle of the basilica disappeared, and other religious symbols, including the altar, and the stained glass window were all virtually destroyed. A replica of the bronze statue of Mary holding up the Christ Child was finally re-installed on top of the tower in the year 2000. Some 10,000 believers paid for it. Pilgrimages to the shrine resumed in 1979.
So far, this is the only photograph that I can locate of the great Marian Shrine at Sheshan, near Shanghai, built between 1925 and 1935.
The Catholic Cathedral at Phat Diem, Vietnam.
This is the site of one of the earliest missions in Vietnam.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, Bangkok, Thailand 1910
