Chapel Saint Louis

Oudenbosch, a small town in the west of Noord-Brabant, has a surprise at its centre. Rising above the low houses and flat fields is a great domed church modelled on St. Peter's in Rome. This is the Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara, usually just called the Basilica of Oudenbosch, and it is one of the most unusual churches in the Netherlands. The name Chapel Saint Louis is attached to a part of the same religious complex, whose buildings also include a chapel, a convent and a school.

The church owes its existence to a strong-willed parish priest in the nineteenth century, Hellemons, who admired Rome and wanted to bring something of its splendour to Brabant. Working with the architect Pierre Cuypers, famous for the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Centraal, he led a project that produced a smaller but faithful version of the great Roman basilica. The facade, the colonnade, the dome and the wide interior all echo their Roman model. In a landscape of brick Gothic churches, the contrast is striking.

Inside, the basilica is spacious and richly decorated, with marble, painted ceilings, stained glass and altars in the Italian manner. The dome rises high above the crossing, filling the interior with light. Much of the art and furnishing is of the late nineteenth century, and it is a fine example of the historicist architecture of that era. The crypt below the church holds a small shop and exhibition, and the complex is looked after by the local community and volunteers.

Oudenbosch has a link with Rome that goes beyond architecture. In the nineteenth century, many young men from the town and region volunteered as Papal Zouaves to defend the Pope's territory, and the town has a museum that explains their story. This helps to explain why the town's religious life looked so strongly towards Rome. A replica of a Roman chapel, the Napoleon Chapel, and the Brothers' Cemetery are further traces of the town's unusual religious heritage.

Visitors can enter the church and take part in guided tours at certain times, and in some seasons the dome can be climbed for a view over the town and the Brabant countryside. Check the visiting hours, guided tours and any charges before going. The church suits architecture lovers, people interested in religious heritage and anyone looking for a surprise in the Dutch landscape. A visit takes about an hour.