Église de la Sainte-Croix, Former Catholic church in Bocholt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche is a Catholic church in Bocholt marked by its substantial structure and bold architectural design. The building features a generous interior space with high walls and strong geometric forms that create an impression of strength and purpose.
Dominikus Böhm designed the church; the foundation stone was laid on 25 May 1936 and it was consecrated on 13 June 1937 by auxiliary bishop Heinrich Roleff. It served as a parish church from 1939 to 2008, then became a branch church of the merged parish Liebfrauen. On 8 February 2025 it was deconsecrated and closed, and the interior is being converted into rooms for a kindergarten.
The church was profaned and closed on 8 February 2025 by the Liebfrauen parish, so no services are held there anymore. Its interior is being converted into rooms for a kindergarten. The name Heilig-Kreuz, Holy Cross, refers to the cross motif that dominates the transept windows, while the windows of the small day chapel show scenes from the Passion.
The church was profaned and closed on 8 February 2025, so the interior is no longer open to visitors; conversion work is creating kindergarten rooms inside. The building stands in Bocholt, and the four cast-steel bells of 1951 remain in the tower.
The building displays expressionist architectural features characteristic of early 20th-century design principles. This style creates a striking interior through clean lines and geometric forms that sets it apart from more traditional church designs.
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