Sittard’s historic old town

Sittard’s Basilica is the first Dutch church to have gained this ceremonial status in 1883. The church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was constructed in neo-gothic style, a style widely adopted in the period between 1860 and 1910. The steeple is built above the crossing. At each corner of the bell chamber there are ornamental polygonal pinnacles. The word basilica is Greek in origin and means ‘royal’, mostly in combination with other words, such as hall or temple.

The monastic quarter consists of two religious communities: the Dominicanenklooster and the neighbouring Ursulinenklooster. Due to all sorts of extension work over the centuries, the two have merged to become one single complex and are certainly worthy of a visit.

The crowds of pilgrims who flocked to the Basilca necessitated the construction of a reception area for pilgrims who could follow services in the church through opened doors. This became the Mariapark. The Mariapark takes the form of a quadrangle and was built in 1891 opposite the Basilica with an altar and 14 stations of the cross. The walls in Mariapark are also richly decorated. After a period of restoration recently, the Mariapark is once again being used for meetings and other gatherings.

Around the fortified walls of medieval Sittard were the so-called ‘fields of fire’ (Schootsvelden): a zone of open ground in front of the fortifications which the artillery used to maintain visibility in the event of imminent attack. As such, any construction within this zone was not permitted. After Sittard was laid to waste in 1677, its system of defences was dismantled and the adjacent land turned into allotments. This land was later built on. Most of these buildings have since been pulled down, so that these fields of fire have been restored to their former glory and now form a belt of green around the old town.

The Kloosterplein and the Oude Markt are a feast for the eyes. The historic houses are embellished by age-old gables. The small square known as Kloosterplein is named after the ‘claustrum’, referring to former cloisters of the Church of St Peter’s. Only ecclesiastical law was recognised here and anyone within the bounds of these cloisters was granted immunity from civil law. The Kloosterplein is the best preserved of its kind in the Netherlands.

The historic old town market square welcomes you to a setting of ancient buildings and characteristic half-timbered dwellings. Its pleasant, winding shopping streets all lead, as if by instinct, towards the quaint old market square. After a couple of hours of leisurely shopping or soaking up the town’s impressive heritage, the many pavement cafes and restaurants, with their heated terraces, are the perfect place to take a breather.

As you approach Sittard’s old town, it’s hard not to notice the 80-metre-high spire of the St Peter’s church. The official name for the Grote Kerk is the church of St Peter’s Chair at Antioch, which is dedicated to Peter the apostle. A single-nave church stood on this site at around the turn of the First Millennium. The main fabric of the current church was built between the end of the 14th century and the mid-16th century in so-called Maasland gothic style. The church served both as a collegiate church and a parish church and underwent major restoration in 1985. The church can be visited from 9 am to midday and from 2 pm to 4 pm every day. The Grote Kerk is closed on Sundays.

The town ramparts date back many centuries. In the ramparts there is large section of wall which almost certainly dates back to shortly before or around 1300. The walls were later protected with an earthen embankment so that their sands would ‘smother’ any cannonballs. The ramparts have often been eulogised in verse and popular song by local luminaries, such as Thur Laudy, Jo Erens and Toon Hermans. Traditionally, the ramparts were planted with lime trees, the oldest of which is around 200 years old. For a long time, the footpath below the ramparts was popular as a lovers’ lane. The ramparts offer a fine view across the ‘fields of fire’ with their old allotments. The walls along the ramparts shelter some unusual and occasional rare plants.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Kerkplein - the area which circumscribes the church - served as a churchyard. As was usual in olden times, leading local dignitaries were interred inside the church whilst other worshippers were buried in the yard outside the church, hence the word churchyard. After Napoleon banned the practice of burying people inside and around the church, the dead were buried outside the built-up area. The ending of this custom led to a new cemetery being built outside the ramparts.

In the old town there are several public gardens, parks and flowerbeds that can be seen, but which remain all too often unrecognised for what they are: lost and forgotten treasures. These green oases are a tableau vivant for the town’s history, revealing something of their past.

The church known as Paterskerk is dedicated to St Michael, the archangel who, in the embodiment of the Dominicans, was called to Sittard to slay the demon dragon that was the Reformation. The church was built by the Dominicans and consecrated in 1668. The attractive facade is a fine example of South Netherlandish baroque architecture. The interior of the Paterskerk is likewise imposing with it richly decorated Renaissance-style panelling along the nave, pulpit, choir panelling and opulent Baroque-style altar.

The Gruizenkerkje, or Protestant church, is a unique location in Sittard’s historic town centre. The Gruizenkerkje (in dialect ’t Gruuzekirkske) is one of Sittard-Geleen’s oldest listed monuments and now contains a restaurant with an authentic yet modern ambiance, with surprising dishes and stylish wines. In addition to the occasional church service, the building hosts exhibitions, presentations, concerts and other functions.

Fort Sanderbout purportedly dates from the 15th/16th century and was abandoned after the town was laid to waste in 1677, after which Sittard gave up its status as a fortified town and was opened up. This location was then designated as a cemetery for the growing Jewish population. This remained the case until 1840 when a new cemetery was taken into use. For reasons that remain unknown - and against all Jewish regulations, despite permission being given - the cemetery was decommissioned in 1965.