Picture above: nice facades on the Market Square of Hulst
 

The town walls may be the largest monument in the town of Hulst but the basilica is undoubtedly the most iconical one, in particular the curious spire on the tower.

The construction of the gothic church started in 1200 but it was only finished in 1534, at the dawn of the religious troubles and the iconoclastic fury.  Once the Catholic Spanish were driven out of the town (80 Years War), the church became Protestant.  This remained as such until the French occupation under Napoleon (1806).  Then it was decided that the Catholics also had rights to a part of the church.  The building was transformed into a so-called 'simultaankerk'; it was litterally split up in two parts and both were separated by a wall.  The result was a richely decorated Katholic part and next to it a modest Protestant part.  In 1929, the Catholics bought the Protestant part.  From that moment on, the entire basilica was Catholic again.  

The spire of the tower was shot down in 1944 by the allied forces because they suspected that it was used as an observation post by the German occupator.  After the war, the church was restored to its original design except for the spire, for which a more modern form was chosen.  Don't be surprised about a possible discussion on the spire when visiting the church.  You can call the design controversial, remarkable, nice, ugly or modern but you cannot deny that it has become the trademark of the town.  At least you cannot deny that it's original...

You can read or hear people tell you that the church of Hulst is the most beautiful one of the Netherlands.  This claim finds its origin in an election organized in 2009 by the Dutch broadcaster NCRV in which the basilica of Hulst came out first.  In Hulst they also boast about the colorful stained glass windows that project the outside light in a extraordinary way.  The last renovation was performed at the end of the 20th century, making the church look like new again. 

Address: corner of the Grote Markt and Steenstraat

Picture 1: The basilica seen from the Grote Markt
Picture 2: Interior of the basilica

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