Michaëlkerk, Neo-Gothic church building in Zwolle, Netherlands.
The Michaëlkerk was a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church built between 1890 and 1892, featuring a 79-meter tower with an octagonal lantern and spire, designed by architect Nicolaas Molenaar in brick construction with cross-rib vaults.
Originally constructed to serve Zwolle's growing Catholic community, the church housed a relic shrine of Thomas à Kempis from 1897 and was demolished in 1965 despite local protests to make way for a shopping center.
The church served as a central gathering place for the Catholic parish community for over seven decades, representing the religious heritage and architectural traditions of late 19th-century Zwolle before its controversial demolition.
A new Michaëlkerk was opened in 1964 at Bisschop Willebrandlaan to replace the demolished original, with the organ and Thomas à Kempis relic shrine transferred to maintain continuity of worship.
The original church's cornerstone mysteriously disappeared and remains the subject of ongoing discussions among local residents and historians, with theories suggesting it was removed to prevent theft.
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