Basiliek van de Heilige Agatha en Barbara

The Basilica of Saint Agatha and Saint Barbara in Oudenbosch is one of the most surprising buildings in the Netherlands. Standing in a small town in North Brabant, it is a deliberate copy of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, with a great dome, a classical facade and a spacious nave, and it looks quite out of scale with the low brick houses around it. Visitors who walk in from the quiet square often feel that they have been transported to Italy.

The church was the creation of a local priest, Pastor Hellemons, who wanted to build a sanctuary that would express the confidence of Dutch Catholics in the nineteenth century. After the Reformation, Catholics in the Netherlands had worshipped in hidden churches and had been second-class citizens for centuries, and the restoration of the church hierarchy in 1853 gave them new energy. Hellemons visited Rome, admired Saint Peter's and decided to build a replica of its design in his own parish. The construction took place in the 1860s and 1870s, and the work was financed by donations from the faithful.

The building has the structure of its Roman model, though on a smaller scale. A tall dome rises over the crossing, and a portico with columns and a pediment decorates the entrance. Inside, the nave is wide and bright, the walls decorated with marble, painted ornament and statues, and the altar stands under a canopy. A later honour was the title of basilica, given by the Pope, which acknowledges the church's importance. The dome gives a good view of the town if it is open for climbing.

The complex around the basilica adds to the story. A school run by religious brothers, a convent and a cemetery for the brothers belong to the same religious enclave, and several chapels are scattered through the town, including the Napoleon Chapel and the Chapel of Saint Louis. Oudenbosch was also the home of many Papal Zouaves, volunteers who defended the Pope's territory in the 1860s, and a Zouave museum recalls their story.

The basilica suits visitors interested in architecture, religion and curiosities. Dress modestly, respect services and check opening times before you go. A walk around the town, following the signs for the sights, takes a couple of hours.