In the early 16th century there was already a chapel in the village square of Teteringen, dedicated to Our Lady. After a fire, this chapel was rebuilt as a parish church in 1632. After the Eighty Years’ War, the church had to be handed over to the Protestants, forcing the Catholics to hold their services in a barn church. This barn church was built in 1688 across from the town hall.
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In 1757, St. Willibrord became the patron saint of this barn church. Willibrord was an English priest who arrived in Katwijk in 690 and spread Christianity among the Frisians. He became so successful that he was nicknamed “the apostle of the Frisians”. In 695 he became the first bishop of Utrecht, and after his death in 739 he was canonized. In 1710, the parish of Teteringen received a relic of Willibrord, which was considered especially valuable.
During the French era, the original parish church came back into Catholic hands. The old church was torn down and replaced with a larger one, and the barn church was also demolished. This new church, called the Napoleon Church, was consecrated on September 26, 1820 and, like its predecessors, stood in the middle of the cemetery.
The present St. Willibrordus Church was consecrated on September 26, 1927 and replaced the Napoleon Church. It was designed by renowned architect Jacques van Groenendael and is considered one of his last works. It is a “people’s church,” with the altar clearly visible from the entire church, allowing the people to actively participate in the mass.
The church is a brick, Christocentric cruciform church with Neo-Byzantine, Neo-Romanesque and Amsterdam School elements. Some details, such as the cross on the tower and the spouts, are done in Art Deco style. Although the exterior has the appearance of a traditional cruciform church, the interior shows a spacious, centralizing design with a dominant brick dome. The church features rose windows in the front façade and side aisles and is listed as a national monument.
Discover the history
Tour the church and discover special details from a description. Volunteers will also be present to provide explanations.
Discover the history
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