The future vacancy of places of worship in Maastricht demands action. Initially, this concerns Roman Catholic churches, where the problems are greatest due to fewer visitors, high maintenance costs, and rising energy costs. By 2035, 20-25 churches are at risk of being taken out of service. These churches serve, beyond their religious function, as anchor points in neighborhoods, architectural icons, and places of remembrance for residents. How to deal with this impending vacancy is a significant issue for both church boards and owners, as well as for the municipality as the guardian of the city. Research into this issue has been awarded to the firm Arcadis.
To prevent churches from deteriorating, being demolished, and sold to the highest bidder, the municipality has started a pilot study to map opportunities, possibilities, points of attention, and problems. This pilot study has been awarded to the research agency Arcadis through a European tender. Arcadis has extensive experience with complex policy and development issues and is well acquainted with the Maastricht situation. The Arcadis Maastricht office will shape this assignment. For Arcadis, this assignment is important as a follow-up to the Maastricht Places of Worship Vision from 2023. Taking concrete follow-up steps after establishing a Places of Worship Vision is a challenge that many municipalities still need to begin.
Project leader of Arcadis, Luc Timmermans: “Maastricht is a special city with a large stock of religious heritage. Being able to contribute to a future for this heritage is of great importance to us as a company. We have gained a lot of experience in other cities, but the complexity and size of the research in Maastricht are truly challenging.”
Councilor Bastiaens says: “With Arcadis, we have found a reliable partner who can provide clarity in this complex issue: it involves at least ten policy areas, conflicting interests, attention to monuments and heritage, and also different legal perspectives. For the municipality, it is important that we receive as broad a framework as possible to consider in order to maintain cohesion in neighborhoods and secure frameworks for spatial development. For the parish boards, the research is important as it can assist in the search for a new life for their buildings.”
The research started in mid-July 2025 and will be completed by mid-April 2026. The research results will yield flowcharts and checklists to consider for a future function or repurposing. Additionally, an overview of functions that will work best in the various neighborhoods will be provided.”
The five churches that will be included in this pilot study are:
City Center Church: Walloon Church
This has already been extensively restored (still ongoing in execution) and partially repurposed. Many lessons can be learned from the experiences gained.
Former village church: Johannes de Doperkerk in Limmel
This has a specific problematic that more former village churches have, namely the central location in the village and the surrounding cemetery, which is still in use. This requires specific analyses.
Young or post-war church: church of Sint Pieter Beneden
This has been proposed by the church board itself and may even be closed soon. The church has surrounding real estate, an active neighborhood network and is located on a square. Functionality, mobility and parking will determine the analysis here.
Parish neighborhood church: Four Evangelists Church in Malberg
As the last remaining element of the parish neighborhoods, usually only the church remains. The school, the park, the neighborhood facilities, and the identity of the parish neighborhood have changed or been adapted significantly in recent decades. What does all this mean for the cohesion of the neighborhood?
Tower of the Antonius van Paduakerk in Limmel
The church in Limmel was demolished in 2011. The tower and the baptistery remain standing, and they wanted to maintain these as neighborhood icons, memorials, and as a candle chapel. These building parts have been placed in a foundation. After fifteen years, it can be assessed whether this was the right decision and whether it can be repeated in the future.