Video: Reconstruction begins three years after fire destroys Zuid-Holland church

Almost three years of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Geboorte church completely burnt down in the Zuid-Holland village of Hoogmade, reconstruction on the church building started last week. The church should be ready to use again in April 2024, chairman of the church’s management committee Leo van Rijn said to Omroep West.

On 4 November 2019, a major fire broke out in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Geboorte church. The church spire collapsed, and the roof came down, leaving the building unusable though the walls were still standing.

Last year, it was decided to rebuild the church. And now, just about three years after the fire, reconstruction started. The walls and the tower, which also survived the fire, will be preserved. “That was an important decision,” Van Rijn said. “If you look at the walls, you can still see that the outside is burned. That will be the face of the church.”

Insurance money will cover most of the reconstruction, but the church is raising 100,000 euros to complete the financing. Part of that will come from “bid-coins,” a play on words which translates to “prayer-coins” and sounds like the cryptocurrency Bitcoins. “We flattened the copper of the tower, cut out a coin, and engraved it,” Van Rijn said. “If you touch it with your fingers, you can smell the fire, as it were. Very special.”

The church is also holding an auction next year. “We want to sell some church valuables that we no longer need. And we will ask the middle class if they want to donate something that we can then auction.”

Van Rijn expects the rebuilt and renovated church building will be ready in April 2024.