St Michaelskerk (Abbey Church)

The Abbey Church of St Michaelskerk is the dominant building of Thorn, the small town in Limburg known as the White Town. The abbey it belonged to was founded in 975 by Ansfried, who later became bishop of Utrecht, and it was an unusual institution: a community of noblewomen, led by an abbess, who ruled the surrounding territory as an independent principality within the Holy Roman Empire. That status lasted until the French revolutionary armies arrived in the 1790s and ended the abbey's existence, and it explains why a village this small has a church of cathedral-like scale.

The building you see now is the result of many centuries of work. The roots are earlier, but the present church is mostly Gothic, from the fourteenth century, with later additions and a Baroque interior that includes richly decorated altars. The exterior is plain brick and stone, and the large tower and the long roofline rise above the white houses around it. Inside, the contrast between the whitewashed town outside and the colour and gilding within is striking. Look for the tombs and memorials of abbesses and canonesses, which show how important the community was.

The abbey church works as a centre for several visits at once. Museum Abdijkerk Thorn displays the church's treasures and tells the story of the abbey, while the municipal museum, the Gemeentemuseum Het Land van Thorn, covers the wider history of the local area. Opening arrangements for the church and museums change with the season, so they should be checked beforehand, and guided tours may be offered at certain times.

The setting is part of the appeal. Thorn lies in the Maasland area, close to the Belgian border, and the countryside nearby is a mix of river valley, lakes and quiet roads, well suited to cycling. The church stands at the centre of the old town, and the cobbled lanes around it are lined with white-painted buildings. Because of its location, it is easy to visit as part of a day on the Maas, and it combines well with a walk around Thorn itself.

The church suits visitors with an interest in medieval architecture, church history and the history of women in religious and political life. It is also a quiet, reflective place, and many people simply come for the peace of the interior. A visit takes about an hour, longer if you include the museums, and you should dress modestly and respect services.