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History of Saint Louis
Pastor Hellemons founded a monastic order in 1840 to educate the youth of Oudenbosch. The boarding school is run by the Congregation of the Brothers of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga; better known as the Brothers of Saint Louis. It starts small with a few pupils and a superior, Father Vincent. Soon the number of pupils grows and more and more pupils from outside Oudenbosch are admitted. The small house is extended with several annexes: the Maria building, the Vincentius building and the Aloysius building. These buildings were built around a large courtyard, the large Cour. This was closed with a real gem: the Chapel of Saint Louis.
Architecture
The Chapel dates from 1865 and was designed by Th. Florschutz, drawing teacher at the institute, and Josephus Boosten, a Friar. The chapel, like the Basilica, is reminiscent of St Peter's in Rome. This is not surprising, as the first sketches were by parish priest Willem Hellemons. He had studied in Rome and had been impressed by Italian architecture there.
Construction of the Chapel started simultaneously with the construction of the Basilica, but the Chapel could be commissioned as early as 1866. The 30-metre-high dome was realised in 1889 by Prof C.J. van Swaay, a former student of the institute. The Chapel features beautiful decorations and ornaments, such as the flower and leaf motifs on the ceiling and the statues in the niches.
The organ is by Van Bijlaardt and dates from 1883. Over the years, the other boarding house buildings have been converted into flats, care homes and hotels. The chapel, the former boarding house buildings and the Brothers' cemetery have been designated as national monuments. The guides from Saint Louis give guided tours around the complex on request.
Discover Oudenbosch
Don't want to miss anything from these extraordinary historic buildings in the heart of Oudenbosch? You'll discover them all with the route of the 9 wonders. Prefer to explore this route accompanied by one of our guides? Then sign up for a city walk and discover what other great stories lie behind Oudenbosch.