266 Route 29. MAASTRIOHT. St. Servatius's.

The Vrytuor (PI. A, B, 2,3), the focus of the town’s activity, is
planted with lindens and contains the clubs and principal cafés.
At its S.W. end lie the church of St. Servatius and the Protestant
church.

The *Church of St. Servatius (Pl. A, 3), founded by Bishop
Monulphus (560-599), is the oldest church in the Netherlands.
The E. crypt, with the tomb of St. Servatius (rediscovered in 1881),
dates from the original building, as does also the body of the church,
though now freely modernized, with vaulting of the 15th century.
The narthex or porch of the rich Romanesque W. portion, surmount-
ed by three towers, dates presumably from the time of Charlemagne.
The W. crypt, the transepts, the choir, and the two low E. towers
(restored) belong to the beginning of the 11th century. The richly
sculptured Gothic S. portal (protected by a glass screen) is of the
13th cent.; and the Gothio cloisters on the N. side of the church
(almost entirely renewed) are of the 15th century. §

« In the Inrerror (usual entrance on the S. side; sacristan, Keizer Karl-
plein 5) the chief feature of interest is the *2mperor’s Hali (restored in 1898)
over the porch, with domed roof, reached by two easy winding staircases
of stone. In front of the narthex stands a marble statue of Charlemagne
by W. G@eefs (4843); against the pedestal are exhibited remains of a stone
altar to the Madonna (42th cent.), with the oldest fi reredos extant. —
The modern pulpit, on the right side of the nave, i
— In the choir, behind the high altar, is the lat a
of St. Servatius (12th cent.), in the form of a church, 5 ft. gth,
19 in. in breadth, and 27 in. high. It is executed in gilded and enamelled
copper, and embellished with filigree work and precious stones. \

The Cuurcu TREAsuRY (Schatkamer), which since 1873 has occupied
a chapel of its own, is worthy of inspection (fee, including both crypts,
1 fl.; more than one pers. 50 c. each; illustrated catalogue 60 c.). The
Objects shown, said to have belonged to St. Servatius, include a key of
electrum (a mixture of gold and silver) presented to the saint by Pope
Damasus (376), his crozier, stick, and portable altar. An enamelled g
cross, with an antique cameo and the figure of Christ carved in iyo
from the 40th century. Textile fragments of the 4-46th cent.; ecclesiastical
utensils of the 13-16th cent., etc.

The Protestant Church (Pl. A, 3), formerly the baptistery of the
cathedral (St. Janskerk), is in its present form a late-Gothic struc-
ture of the 15th century. It became the Protestant church in 1663.
The handsome W. tower is 250 ft. in height."

 

 

  
 

   
 

  

 

 
    

 

From the Vrythof we pass to the S.E.. through the Breede Straat,
to the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Plein (Pl. B, 3).

The *Church of Notre Dame (Pl. B, 3), or Onze Lieve Vrouwe-
kerk, a late-Romanesque edifice of the 11th cent., erected on Roman
foundations, has been restored since 1895. The massive W. end is
flanked by two round towers (restored). The late-Romanesque choir,
with its ambulatory and columns with richly decorated capitals,
dates from the beginning of the 13th century. The large crypt below
the choir (with nave and aisles) is of the same period, but the W.
crypt belongs to the original building. The handsome Gothic cloisters
are of the 14th century.