Sint-Servaasbasiliek

When in Maastricht, it is hard to avoid the story of Saint Servatius, or Sint Servaas (around 310-384). It is fair to say that he is a very important figure to be acquainted with in Maastricht's history.This Roman Catholic Saint was the first bishop of Maastricht and is this city's patron Saint. He is venerated on the 13th of May.

The Basilica of Saint Servatius is reportedly the fourth church built upon the grave of the city's Patron saint. The Basilica itself is a thing of beauty. Its Romanesque structure was built in stages commencing with the construction of the naive in the first half of the 11th century. Due to the time of the church's expansion and its placement, the church had close ties to the Holy Roman Emperors, with many of its early provosts also holding positions of Chancellor of the German Empire. There is only one period of time in which it was not regarded as a local place of worship, this was between 1797 and 1804 when it was used as a horse stable for troops.

From a religious viewpoint the Basilica is an important place for pilgrimage due to the grave of the Saint, and the seemingly countless relics contained in the church's treasury. Now the Basilica is the main church of the Deanery of Maastricht, which is in the Diocese of Roermond.

Ole, Birgitte and I visited the Basilica in early October. It is such an important part of Maastricht's history and culture that a visit to the Basilica is a must for those staying in Maastricht for any considerable length of time.