Top 6 projectsfrom Cuypers
Pierre Cuypers: Special projects
At the age of 17, Pierre Cuypers started studying architecture at the Art Academy in Antwerp, Belgium. He graduated in 1849 and received the Prix d'Excellence. During his lifetime, Cuypers realised a number of remarkable project
Many prominent projects made by Cuypers were realised in and around the city of Roermond and in the rest of the Netherlands. In this list you'll find six of his absolute masterpieces.
1. Munsterkerk
The characteristic Munsterkerk is located at the Munsterplein in Roermond. This church was built at the beginning of the 13th century as a monastery church for the female abbey community of the Roermond Cistercian order, also known as the 'Trappist order'. The church was also built as the burial church for Count Gerard III of Gelre.
2. De Haar Castle
De Haar Castle in the village of Haarzuilens is the largest castle in the Netherlands. In 1892, Cuypers and his son, Joseph, started to renovate the castle. Cuypers was a man who had an eye for the whole project. Besides the exterior, he also made a large part of the furniture. He even made a collection of cutlery to match with the interior of the building. The stained glass and the ironwork of de Haar Castle were also handmade by Cuypers and his specialists in his atelier in Roermond.
3. Rijksmuseum
For Cuypers, it was not easy to get the assigment for building the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. He had to participate to a competition. The jury of this competition consisted of some of the best architects at the time. Cuypers finaly won the competition. In January 1877 the construction of the Rijksmuseum began. The museum was officially opened on 13 July 1885.
4. Amsterdam Central Station
Cuypers' hand is also clearly visible in the Dutch capital. Besides the Rijksmuseum, Cuypers also designed the Central Station in Amsterdam. In 1889, the Central Station was opened. It was the first station in the Netherlands to be designed by a famous architect.
5. Cuypershuis Roermond
The Cuypershuis is the place where Cuypers implemented his ambitious plans. This is where he lived and worked with his family. In this special building, you currently can discover how Cuypers managed to win and carry out these major projects. The industriousness and passion of the man back then can still be felt in the Cuypershuis. A visit to the Cuypershuis is therefore an unforgettable and inspiring experience!
6. The Oudenbosch Basilica
In 1865, the construction of the Oudenbosch Basilica started. Cuypers was a man of the neo-Gothic style and at first he preferred not to build a neo-classical church. Eventually, Cuypers was convinced to start with the design of the Basilica after all. The Oudenbosch Basilica is a scaled-down copy of St. Peter's in Rome. In 1912 the church of Oudenbosch was given the title of Basilica.
