Kleiwegkerk, Cruciform church in Gouda, Netherlands
The Kleiwegkerk was a cruciform church building featuring a distinctive tower of 62 meters (203 feet) added in 1902. The structure accommodated roughly 1,200 worshippers in its main hall and was equipped with three bells.
Construction took place between 1878 and 1879, requiring the demolition of two warehouses and seven houses. The 62-meter tower was added over two decades later in 1902 as a defining feature of the city skyline.
The church was dedicated to Mary and served as a religious center for the Catholic community that grew in Gouda during the 1800s. It functioned as a gathering place for worship and spiritual life in the city.
The building occupied a central location in Gouda where retail spaces now stand. The site is easy to find in the heart of the city where various shops occupy the area today.
During its demolition in 1964 under Bishop Martinus Jansen's orders, nearly all interior elements were removed from the building. Only the organ was spared and later transferred to Sint Vituskerk, where it survives today.
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