Sittard – Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

On the Oude Markt in the centre of Sittard in Limburg stands the “Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart”. Construction of the Neo-Gothic church began in 1875 and was completed in 1879. The architect was Johan Kayser (1842-1917), born in Harlingen, who later moved to Limburg.

In 1883, the church was elevated to the status of a basilica by Leo XIII, who was Pope from 1878 to 1903, the first in the Netherlands to receive this honour. The white marble plaque, made in Rome and set into the portal of the main entrance, commemorates the joyous granting of this title.

The “Confraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart” was founded in 1867 with the aim of promoting the distribution of piety in the Netherlands. This confraternity was changed to the “Archconfraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart”. This organisation manages the basilica and is entirely dependent on donations.

In the first basilica in the Netherlands, statues and paintings of Mary have been placed, such as centrally on the altar and in stained-glass windows.

Particularly in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the basilica was a very popular pilgrimage site. Within the basilica, one can see countless expressions of gratitude, making the building, which is a national monument, an even greater jewel of 19th-century Neo-Gothic architecture.