The New Church & Royal Mausoleum, Delft

[Marengo]

Rick Evers says that an employee of the church has claimed that for several months in 2013 there was a proposal on the desk of the King, while the church was already undergoing renovations. It would have been more cost effective to have enlarged the vault at that period. But no reply was ever given to that proposal.

He also has a map of the proposed extension. There will now also be a door incorperated in an outside wall of the church, so the vault can be entered from there.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1385110781654601728

 

[SLV]

The archaeological excavation will be very interesting.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The archaeological excavation will be very interesting.

Yes I was thinking the same and goodness knows what they will discover.

 

[Blog Real]

Here is a list of the people who are buried in the royal crypt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)

 

[rominet09]

For years I paid regular visits to that beautiful church, once it was possible to climb to the top (very hard physically but I did it) I have always dreamed of visiting the vault, but it was impossible.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The government will pay for the enlargement of the royal crypt in Delft. The decision was made in 2012 but the execution was delayed. The enlargement means that there will be space for 20 extra coffins.

The total costs are estimated at 3,6 million. The royal family will pay 300.000 Euros.

https://gpdhome.typepad.com/nieuwsb...ding-van-koninklijke-grafkelder-in-delft.html

The Government finds it reasonable to pay 3,3 million Euro because "it befits the State to take responsibility to provide sufficient space in the royal vaults" and because "it brings justice to the value and the meaning of the kingship in our Constitution and society and will befit the royal dignity".

In essence the royal mausoleum was a gift of the States-General to Louise de Coligny, the widow of the assassinated Willem I of Nassau, Prince of Orange. Because the Nieuwe Kerk (1381) is a Grade 1 listed State Monument and the enlargement of the vaults is used as an opportunity to do archaeologic and historic studies and to improve other parts of this mediaeval church of national importance, it of course comes with a firm prize tag.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Prior to the reformation the Nieuwe Kerk was dedicated St. Ursula of Cologne ,following the Calvinist iconoclasm of 1572 it became known as the Nieuwe Kerk so's not to be confused with the Oude Kerk which was formerly St. Bartholomew's church which dates from 1246.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Prior to the reformation the Nieuwe Kerk was dedicated St. Ursula of Cologne ,following the Calvinist iconoclasm of 1572 it became known as the Nieuwe Kerk so's not to be confused with the Oude Kerk which was formerly St. Bartholomew's church which dates from 1246.

That is why it is the Old Church (1246) and the New Church (1381) after removing of the patron saint.

 

[An Ard Ri]

That is why it is the Old Church (1246) and the New Church (1381) after removing of the patron saint.

And other Calvinist cities followed suit Amsterdam ,the Hague and so on.

 

[lucien]

And other Calvinist cities followed suit Amsterdam ,the Hague and so on.

A shame really.Such a boring lot.

 

[Somebody]

Apparently the "Law on Undertaking" does not apply to members of the Royal House. Unlike any other person in the Netherlands, they don't need to be laid to rest (or cremated) within 5 'working days'. Because of that thanatopraxy (embalming - a forbidden practice!) is allowed for them. Prince Bernhard, however, indicated before his passing that he did not want to be embalmed.

 

[An Ard Ri]

A shame really.Such a boring lot.

Imagine what those churches would have looked like before the Calvinist Fury!

 

[iceflower]

The extension of the royal crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk is completed, a press meeting was held today:


** anp gallery ** ppe gallery **

 

[An Ard Ri]

Very ultra modern and not exact what comes to mind when I think of a Church Crypt!

 

[Somebody]

The new family vault/crypt for the royal family is completed and was open for journalist (2-by-2) today. The entrance to the old crypt where the royals have been 'buried' was closed.

See this article by NOS: it includes both a video as well as a 3-dimensional map. A new feature of the crypt is a place for urns. Princess Christina was the first Dutch royal who was cremated but there are no plans to move her remains to the family vault. However, they wanted to be prepared for the future.

This is the first crypt in which it is possible to stand; the first is so low that you need to crawl to get in; the one in the back (where among others Juliana, Bernhard and Claus are buried) is a bit higher but it is still not possible to stand in there.

Finally, an outside entrance has been created for easier access. Until now, a gravestone had to be lifted that blocked the entrance to a smaal side entrance. In this way it will be much easier for family members to visit (as well as for the mayor of Delft for the yearly inspection once).

I wonder whether princess (then queen again) Beatrix will be buried in the new part one day with prince Claus being moved to this part as well. As it seems they consider the part in the back to be completely full; in that case they might reserve Claus' current spot for princess Irene if she would want to be buried with her parents/in the royal vault in Delft. Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven will not be buried here as they've already created their own spot in Apeldoorn near Paleis Het Loo/their home.

 

[Blog Real]

I didn't know they had expanded the Royal Crypt of the Dutch Royal Family. It looks very modern.

 

[Marengo]

Interesting description. Although I knew the other parts were difficult to get in, I did not appreciate just how inconvenient it was.

The new build looks very functional. And by the size of it the government is sure that the country will remain a monarchy for another century at the very least.

 

[Somebody]

In this new section, there is space for 24 caskets and 9 urns, so yes, they expect it will be sufficient for at least another century - most likely more. At least two of Beatrix's sisters will not be buried here, so that leaves only Irene next to Beatrix within her generation. For willem-Alexander's generation, Friso was not interred here but buried in Lage Vuursche. We'll have to wait and see what decision Constantijn and Laurentien make but I wouldn't be surprised if in the future only the main line will be interred in Delft and the others at places that have a personal meaning to them.

According to RTL there is one space left in the 'back', so Beatrix could be interred there. They also indicated that the total cost for the new vault was 4 million EUR. The king volunteered to contribute 400.000 EUR towards the total costs.

 

[An Ard Ri]

And by the size of it the government is sure that the country will remain a monarchy for another century at the very least.

I know its rather morbid but that was my thought too!

 

[lucien]

The new family vault/crypt for the royal family is completed and was open for journalist (2-by-2) today. The entrance to the old crypt where the royals have been 'buried' was closed.

See this article by NOS: it includes both a video as well as a 3-dimensional map. A new feature of the crypt is a place for urns. Princess Christina was the first Dutch royal who was cremated but there are no plans to move her remains to the family vault. However, they wanted to be prepared for the future.

This is the first crypt in which it is possible to stand; the first is so low that you need to crawl to get in; the one in the back (where among others Juliana, Bernhard and Claus are buried) is a bit higher but it is still not possible to stand in there.

Finally, an outside entrance has been created for easier access. Until now, a gravestone had to be lifted that blocked the entrance to a smaal side entrance. In this way it will be much easier for family members to visit (as well as for the mayor of Delft for the yearly inspection once).

I wonder whether princess (then queen again) Beatrix will be buried in the new part one day with prince Claus being moved to this part as well. As it seems they consider the part in the back to be completely full; in that case they might reserve Claus' current spot for princess Irene if she would want to be buried with her parents/in the royal vault in Delft. Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven will not be buried here as they've already created their own spot in Apeldoorn near Paleis Het Loo/their home.

In due time Princess Beatrix place is with Prince Claus in the vault,he will not be moved,she will be the last to be interred in that part of the vault.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The new trendy Vault is far larger than the 1925 expansion under queen
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It looks quite modern but at the other hand: why should underground sepulchres look like dark and gloomy places with torches and flying bats? The leader of the project of the extension of the royal mausoleum ensured that due to the use of natural wall cover (clay), the soft lighting scheme and the location under a church basement, it all results in a serene and peaceful setting.

It is better than in the Hohenzollerngruft in the Berliner Dom, where modern "kitchen tiles" are laid on the floor, with hoards of tourists (including me) walking alongside the coffins and on the ceilings those green lights "exit". With a souvenir shoppe at the right and the visitors' toilets at the left...

In that aspect, this new -extremely businesslike looking- extension still looks tasteful and serene.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I know its rather morbid but that was my thought too!

Well, the project leader stated: "It is there, available. And if it is not used, so be it".