Ontdek Eupen: Sint-Niklaaskerk en Bergkapel met Maria

In the monumental Sankt Nikolauskirche (St. Nicholas Church) in Eupen, many works of art can be seen and Mary is frequently depicted.

Mariabilder in St. Nicholas Church in Eupen

As early as 1213, there is mention of a St. Nicholas chapel of “Oipen”, which in the 14th century was replaced by a Gothic church. The current church was built between 1720 and 1726, according to the design of architect Laurens Mefferdatis (1677-1748) from Aachen/Aken, Germany. The tower of the 14th-century church remains from the right part of the façade. The front facade was renovated in 1897-1898 based on the design of architect Lambert Heinrich Hubert Joseph Maria (Lambert) von Fisenne (1852-1903) from Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The St. Nicholas Church stands in the center of the city, which is rich in monuments.

St. Nicholas Church in Eupen, Mother Anna and Daughter Maria

The interior was created in the Baroque style. In a niche stands a particularly beautiful statue of Mary. A colorful stained-glass window with Our Lady adorns the church even more. At the bottom of this artwork is written in Latin “IM (Im Memoriam) Consecrationis IMM (Immortalis) Cordib MV (Mariae Virgins) AD (Anno Domini 1946, the 8th of September)”. In English this means “in memory of the consecration of the eternal heart of the Virgin Mary in the year of the Lord 1946, day 8th September”. September 8th is the day of Mary’s birth. On September 8th, 1946 in Czestochowa, Poland, the Polish nation was officially dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

stained-glass window with Mary in the St. Nicholas Church in Eupen

In Eupen there is also the Bergkapelle (Berg Chapel), which is dedicated to St. John the Baptist Chapel (the Chapel of St. John the Baptist). The chapels were built in 1712 on the foundations of an earlier chapel from the 15th century. After that, the chapel was enlarged twice, namely in the 18th and 19th centuries. At the end of 1944, the chapel was severely damaged by the fighting of the Second World War (1939-1945). During that war, the chapel was used as a prison. Beautiful statues of Mary can be seen in the chapel, including an impressive pieta.