Laudermarke – Lourdes Grotto

The Lourdes Grotto at Laudermarke, which belongs to the Groningen municipality of Westerwolde, is located in the hamlet of De Bruil, near the town of Ter Apel.

In 1935, a small Marian chapel with a wooden niche was built. This was done on the initiative of the Catholic Young Girls' Association. After the Second World War (1939-1945), the chapel fell into disrepair. The chapel was replaced by a Lourdes grotto. In 1958, the grotto was placed on the exact spot where the chapel had stood. The creation of the grotto was carried out by farmers from the hamlet of De Bruil. They did this as a token of gratitude that young men from Laudermarke were spared from forced labour in Germany during the Second World War. The Lourdes grotto was consecrated by Theodorus Johannes Maria van der Moolen (1902-1991), parish priest in Ter Apel (1946-1971). The Lourdes grotto rests on a foundation 2.5 metres deep and is made of 33 tonnes of flint stones (erratic boulders) from Barger-Oosterveld near Emmen.

In February 1991, the statues of Mary and Bernadette were stolen and found damaged. Later that year, the statues were restored and the grotto was reconsecrated.

In 2023-2024 the small Lourdes grotto was restored and subsequently blessed again by Jos Deuling, parish priest since 2016.

The statue of Mary stands in the large niche of the Lourdes grotto. The effigy of visionary Bernadette stands in front of the grotto. The Lourdes grotto is screened off by a fence.

The Lourdes grotto makes a well-kept impression and thanks to the volunteers who maintain the beautiful grotto. Visiting this Marian shrine is highly recommended.

The Lourdes Grotto stands by the road, on the edge of a field 50 metres from the Ter Apel lock at the end of the Veenweg, just before Poortweg 11, near cycle junction 27.

Address: Veenweg 41, 9561TL Laudermarke (Ter Apel).

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