Nederland - Maastricht, Basiliek van onze Lieve Vrouwe

The Basiliek van onze Lieve Vrouwe - alsdo called Onze Lieve Vrouw "Sterre der Zee" Basiliek - (Basilica of Our Lady) is a Romanesque Catholic church. Probably a Roman temple was built on the same location before the church was built. Most of the present building dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The westwork was built in the 11th century, and Gothic vaults in the nave were added in the 13th century.

Duringh the French occupation (at the end of the 18th century) the church was used as a stable and a blacksmith shop by the military garrison. It was finally returned to a place of worship in 1837. From 1887 to 1917 the church was thoroughly restored by well-known Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. He basically removed everything that did not fit his ideal of a Romanesque church.

The interior features a couple of mural dasting back to the Middle Ages. The church has a 1652 pipe organ, while the stained glass windows date to the 19th and 20th centuries. Next to the church is a cloistered garden located.

Despite the church's beautiful interior, the main attraction of the Basiliek van onze Lieve Vrouwe is without any doubt the miraculous statue of Our Lady, Star of the Sea (PiP2). This 15th-century wooden statue was originally housed in a nearby Franciscan monastery. It was moved to the basilica in 1837. The statue placed in a Gothic chapel near the main entrance where it is visited by hundreds of worshipers daily.