Neerijnen (G): reformed
church (A.M.A. Gulden, 1865)
 This small single-aisled cruciform church
with built-in tower is a good example of a protestant church
in early
neo-Gothic style. Although influences from Gothicism are
present here in abundance, the result as a whole is a far cry
from both actual Gothic
and the more historically backed neo-Gothic
that was emerging in the same period. This church was probably designed by A.M.A.
Gulden, town-architect of Zaltbommel, obviously not an experienced builder
of churches, although he did also design the church of nearby Haaften in
1851, another building in early neo-Gothic style.
By 1865, when this church was built,
Gothic architecture had been studied by several architects and
investigators, but only a handful of (catholic) architects had put this
knowledge to good use. Other architects were struggling to get their
churches to look authentic. The architect of this church appears not even to
have tried that. His church is plastered and has plastered wooden vaults.
The various shapes are undeniably Gothic, but otherwise there is absolutely
nothing here that reminds of medieval Gothic churches in the Netherlands.
Originally the church was painted yellow ochre, a
colour which was replaced by white during a restoration.
|