Plechelmus - Oldenzaal, NL - Exact Replicas on Waymarking.com

The basilica stands on the site where around 765 the missionary Plechelmus founded the first church, which he dedicated to Saint Silvester. Plechelmus - in the eighth century his name was written as "Pleghelm" - was part of the large group of Anglo-Saxon missionaries who had their logistic base in Echternach (Luxembourg) and from there moved into the wider area to Christianize the inhabitants.

In 954 the Utrecht bishop Balderik van Kleef had a new church built in Oldenzaal and now dedicated it to the man who had brought Christianity to Oldenzaal: Plechelmus. His relics were transferred from Sint Odiliënberg to both Utrecht and Oldenzaal. Click on photo to enlarge. Raising those relics from the grave in a shrine, tomb or altar was equivalent to the canonization of the person in question. Plechelmus was from that moment Saint Plechelmus and also patron of the newly built church in Oldenzaal.

The oldest Romanesque part of the present church probably dates from the early 12th century. Construction of the basilica was completed around 1180.

In 1447 a heavy fire raged in Oldenzaal. The Romanesque south wing may have been damaged as a result. In any case, a Gothic style aisle was built on the site of this Romanesque aisle between about 1481 and 1500. The new aisle is about the same height and width as the nave. The bays of this aisle are vaulted by brick star vaults with profiled sandstone ribs.

The extension of the choir with a Gothic choir bay took place in the years 1493 and 1494.

Around 1525 (according to others in the middle of the 15th century) the northern Romanesque choir apse was demolished in order to build a Gothic sacristy against the north side of the choir.

The first major restoration of the church took place in the period from 1891 to 1900 by the architect Joseph Cuypers from Roermond. The brick wall, built in 1810 between the tower portal and the church, was removed again. The premises of the Latin school, situated above the northern Romanesque aisle, were also demolished. This used to be the chapter house of the canons. Click on photo to enlarge. During this restoration, the northern absiidio was rebuilt using the southern absiidio as an example. The sacristy has been preserved in this adaptation.

The new sacristy on the north side of the choir was built in 1930.

In the Middle Ages, the church was one of the seven most important collegiate churches of the diocese of Utrecht. In 1950, this was the reason for Pope Pius XII to grant the St. Plechelmus Church the honorary title of 'Basilica Minor'.

The official Papal bull of 13 May 1950 was solemnly read by Msgr. Huurdeman, Vicar of Cardinal De Jong.

Where is original located?: Oldenzaal Where is this replica located?: inside the church Who created the original?: unknown Internet Link about Original: https://www.plechelmusbasiliek.nl/actueel/dynamic_frame_a.htm Year Original was Created (approx. ok): unknown

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/28/2023 PetjeOp visited it