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The Great Church of Breda

During mid 14th century Jan I van Polanen, Lord of Breda, began the rebuilding and extension of the existing Church which resulted in what we see today. The van Polanen family were linked to the Nassaus family in 1403 Count Engelbrecht I van Nassau married Johanna van Polanen, the heiress to the van Polanen estates

Both Jan I and Jan II van Polanen were buried in the church and their tombs, adorned with statues, can still be seen. Jan I (d.1378) lies on his tomb flanked by his first and second wives, Oeda van Hoorne and Machteld van Rotselaar. Jan II (d.1394) lies on his sarcophagus in a niche in the wall near the ambulatory.

Changes to the existing structure and the construction of the new Choir which can be seen today began in 1410. The brass choir screen enclosing the choir was completed in 1412. The Nave is built with two aisles, transepts and two side chapels adjoining the choir. The northern chapel covers three bays of the choir and the southern, four.

The next phase of construction saw the construction of the tower, which was completed in 1509 during the reign of Count Hendrik III van Nassau. Meanwhile, work was also begun on the side chapels which came into service in 1526. The chapel nearest the tower was finished in 1547.

Various funerary and other monuments throughout the church recall the 15th century rule of Counts Engelbrecht van Nassau, his son and successor Jan IV van Nassau and his grandson Engelbrecht II van Nassau. The choir stalls date from 1440-1445 and include 62 misericord (small folding shelves to give some support to choristers obliged to stand for long periods) of an unusually large size for the Middle Ages. Of the originals, 55 remain.

To the north of the ambulatory stands an 26 feet high late 15th century monument to the couples Engelbrecht I and his wife Johanna van Polanen and Jan IV van Nassau and his wife Marie van Loon. This colossal monument is a clear statement of dynastic power. It is adorned by 32 family crests of the forebears to the Dutch royal family.

The first half of the 16th century was perhaps the high point for the Church. Count Hendrik III van Nassau and Lord of Breda played a major role in the court of Emperor, Karl (Charles) V. Though his son Rene van Chalon, Prince of Orange and Lord of Breda died young his heir, Prince William I van Orange, went on to play a major role in the history of The Netherlands.

On the instruction of Hendrik III a new chapel was added to the Church – The Princes Chapel. A Triptych (a painting composed of 3 panels) by Jan van Scorel can still be seen here (van Scorel was an influential Dutch painter credited with introducing renaissance styles from Italy 1495-1562).

Between 1531 and 1538 Hendrik III had a crypt, surmounted by an alabaster funeral monument, constructed for his Uncle and Aunt Count Engelbrecht II van Nassau and Cimburga van Baden.

The decorative vaulting in the chapel was completed in 1533.The unique frescos were completed under the instruction of Vincido de Bologna a student of Raphael, master builder and painter who, was also responsible for the rebuilding of the Castle in Breda (now the home of the Royal Dutch Military Academy).

Together, the combination of the finely worked Choir Screen separating the Princes Chapel from the choir, the frescos make the chapel an integrated and beautiful artistic statement.

Thanks to his growing wealth The Lord of Breda was able to support a large personal Court. The members of the Court lived and worked in Breda and were buried there. Various early renaissance grave monuments and epitaphs recalling these people can be seen in the ambulatory. Against the eastern screening wall of the choir is a funeral monument to Frederik van Renesse. On the western wall of the chapel of Saint Francis is a monument to Dirk van Assendelft and Adriana van Nassau.

The importance of these early renaissance monuments, frescos and decorations cannot be overstated. Very few other examples of renaissance church art remain in The Netherlands. This is due to the impact of the iconoclastic fury (a period during the reformation when extensive destruction or mutilation of Church architecture and decoration which harked back to the Catholic period took place).

Beginning in 1566 the iconoclastic fury ravaged the Netherlands. The Great Church of Breda was largely spared through the close involvement Prince Willem van Oranje had with it. Prince Willem had for many years lived in Breda Castle (now the Royal Dutch military Academy) and worshipped in the Great Church. A separate alter in the Princes Chapel was used by the family for private prayers. A path linked the Castle and Church where, a private entrance to the Princes Chapel could be used.

In the crypt of Engelbrecht van Nassau - found in the Princes Chapel - and next to Rene van Chalon, first Prince van Orange - lie the last remains of Anna van Egmond the first wife of Prince Willem van Orange together with their daughter Maria.

It is recorded that Prince Willem had given instructions that he too was to be buried here, alongside his wife Anna. However when Prince Willem was assassinated in Delft by Balthasar Gerards, Breda was occupied by Spanish forces and it was impossible to comply with his wishes. When his successor died, Breda was still under occupation by the Spanish and so the mausoleum in Delft became the new resting place for members of the Dutch Royal Family.

After 1566 control of the Great Church moved between various hands. From 1566 to 1576 it was under Catholic control. Between 1577 and 1581 it came under Protestant control before reverting to Catholic control again until 1590 when, after being taken by a ruse, Breda was taken by Prince Maurits, a protestant, and the church became protestant until 1625. Between 1625 and 1637 the Church was once more under Catholic influence before control passed definitively to the Protestant Church in 1637. All specifically Catholic artefacts and designs were then removed. What remains are the beautiful grave monuments, the decorated vaulting and other interior features.

After the restorations of the 19th and 20th centuries a new phase of work began in 1995. This was completed in 1998 with a joyous rededication of the church carried out in the presence of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. After 1998 work has continued with the restoration of Funerary monuments and the decorative vaulting.

On the 4th September 2001 Prince Willem Alexander, Crown Prince of the Netherlands, together with his fiancée, later on his wife Maxima Zorregiueta, visited the church as part of a tour of the Province of Brabant and expressing the continuing links between The Dutch Royal Family and the Great Church of Breda.

For further informations and photographs of the Church interior and exterior features you can visit our website at: www.grotekerkbreda.nl