Skulls and bones found in hidden cellar of Maastricht church
Ancient skulls and bones were found in a hidden cellar under the floor of the Waalse Kerk in Maastricht. A contractor discovered the cellar, the existence of which was previously unknown, while working on the meter cupboard last week, Klaas Koleweijk, director of the church foundation, told NOS.
The contractor had made a hole in the ground a few centimeters wide and about 1.5 meters down when he discovered the space. “I grabbed my camera and stuck my arm in,” Koelewijn said. “When I looked at the images, I saw that there was a whole vault under the entire entrance. With at least ten skulls and a lot of bones on the floor.” The space is almost three meters deep.
The Waalse Kerk was built in 1732 to replace the Hilarius Chapel that stood on the site but became too small. Renovations on the church started in March. The church is turning into a meeting place with a cultural and social function while keeping its church function. The renovation was set to be completed by the end of this year.
That will probably not be possible now, Koelewijn said. “In the long term, this is a great find. But in the short term, it is a challenge with regard to planning and finances.” The renovations are already 400,000 euros more expensive than the 3.5 million euros raised from provincial and government subsidies and donors. “This is yet another additional cost item.”
It is not yet clear where the bones came from. It may be people who were buried in the chapel before the church was built almost 300 years ago. It could also be a mass grave from the last plague epidemic in Maastricht in 1669. “It is possible that the church was built on top of that.”
In the coming weeks, a scan will be made of the entire church floor to see if there are more hidden spaces under the church. “Then we will make a careful plan to open up the floor,” Koelewijn told the broadcaster.
