Category Archives: Royal Churches

Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm looking toward the entrance; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663353

The Royal Palace is located in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. It is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch although the actual residence of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia is Drottningholm Palace in Ekerö municipality on the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, west of Stockholm, Sweden. However, the offices of the Swedish monarch, other members of the Swedish royal family, and the Royal Court of Sweden are located at the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; Credit – By Grishasergei – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16370245

The current palace was built on the site of the former Tre Kroner Castle (Three Crowns Castle), built in the 13th century, which was destroyed by fire in 1697. Construction began in 1697 and was completed in 1760. The Royal Palace was designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. After Tessin the Younger died in 1728, the Royal Palace was completed by Swedish architect Carl Hårleman who also designed a large part of its interior.

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The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, looking toward the altar; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663324

The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, which this writer has visited, is a church of the Church of Sweden, an Evangelical Lutheran church. It is the parish church for the members of the Royal Parish which comprises the Swedish royal family, employees at the court, and their relatives. Services are held every Sunday and on holy days, and the royal family uses the church for other ceremonies.

Ceiling painting and decorations of the Royal Chapel; Credit – By Ad Meskens – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72492390

Built during the 18th century along with the rest of the Royal Palace, the Royal Chapel was consecrated in 1754. The ceiling paintings and decorations have the theme of the Ascension of Jesus Christ and were the collaborative work of Swedish architect Carl Hårleman, French painter Guillaume Taraval and Swedish decorative artist Johan Pasch and French sculptors Jacques Philippe Bouchardon (link in French) and Charles Guillaume Cousin (link in Swedish).

Thanksgiving service in 2013 marking the 40th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf’s accession to the throne. There is a good view of the pulpit on the right.

A close-up view of the pulpit; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663388

The pulpit was created in the years 1748 -1751 mainly by French sculptor Jacques-Philippe Bouchardon.

The magnificent altarpiece; Credit – By Steven Lek – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61789914

Jacques-Philippe Bouchardon had been working on an altarpiece but he died before it was completed. His replacement Swedish sculptor Pierre Hubert L’Archevêque damaged Bouchardon’s incomplete work out of rivalry and began his own altarpiece. L’Archevêque eventually tired of working on the altarpiece and it was completed in 1779 by Johan Tobias Sergel, one of Sweden’s greatest sculptors. The magnificent altarpiece depicts Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Above the altar is a banner carried by two angels with the Latin words Pro Mundi Vita, “For the world to live” from the Gospel of John.

This short video of video clips from the christening of Princess Estelle, daughter of Crown Princess Victoria, provides some views of the Royal Chapel.

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The Duke of Småland’s baptism at the Royal Chapel in 1782, oil painting by Elias Martin; Credit – Wikipedia

It can be assumed that after the completion of the Royal Palace in 1754, christenings and other religious events occurred at the Royal Chapel. It is a tradition in the Swedish royal family to attend a Te Deum at the Royal Chapel to give thanks for the birth of a new royal baby within days of the birth. Some recent Te Deums are listed below.

Some royal events at the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden include:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Stockholm Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Palace> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2019. Swedish Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/swedish-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Stockholms slott – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholms_slott> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Slottskyrkan – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slottskyrkan> [Accessed 3 December 2021].

Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace in Ekerö Municipality, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

The Royal Chapel on the left at Drottningholm Palace; Credit – Av Arild Vågen – Eget arbete, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26866832

Drottningholm Palace is located in Ekerö municipality on the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, west of Stockholm, Sweden. It is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. Drottningholm Palace was designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. When he died, his son Nicodemus Tessin the Younger continued his work and completed the interior designs. Construction began in 1696 and was completed in 1728. The palace grounds include a beautiful baroque garden and other gardens featuring numerous sculptures and statues, along with several fountains and water features.

The Royal Chapel; Credit – Wikipedia

The Royal Chapel, which this writer has visited, is on the northern end of Drottningholm Palace with an entrance leading directly into the palace. It is a church of the Church of Sweden, an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The building is completely round with three slightly protruding middle sections and is covered by a copper dome with windows topped by a lantern. The main entrance is located on the west side facing the gardens. The construction of the Royal Chapel was completed in 1728 and during the following years, Swedish architect Carl Hårleman oversaw the interior decoration work. The altarpiece depicting The Last Supper was done by the court painter Georg Engelhard Schröder. In 1730, the church was consecrated and it has been in continuous use since then. The altar is facing north, opposite the royal pew. The pews in the side aisles in the east-west direction were installed from 1910 – 1912.

The christening of Princess Leonore, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, in 2014

The local Lovön Parish conducts services in the chapel on the last weekend of each month. The Royal Chapel has been used over the years for regular worship and events by members of the Swedish royal family. Below is a list of some royal events that have occurred at the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace.

  • August 29, 1744 – Wedding of the future King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
  • December 7, 1976 – Wedding of Prince Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Halland (son of King Gustav VI Adolf) and Lilian Craig
  • September 9, 2016 – Christening of Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • December 1, 2017 – Christening of Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • June 8, 2014 – Christening of Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (daughter of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • October 11, 2015 – Christening of Prince Nicolas, Duke of Ångermanland (son of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • June 8, 2018 – Christening of Princess Adrienne, Duchess of Blekinge )daughter of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • August 14, 2021 – Christening of Prince Julian, Duke of Halland (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Drottningholm Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholm_Palace> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2019. Swedish Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/swedish-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Kungligaslotten.se. 2021. Gift dig i Drottningholms slottskyrka. [online] Available at: <https://www.kungligaslotten.se/vara-besoksmal/drottningholms-slott/drottningholms-slottskyrka/gift-dig-i-drottningholms-slottskyrka.html> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Kungligaslotten.se. 2021. The Royal Chapel at Drottningholm. [online] Available at: <https://www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/drottningholm-palace/the-royal-chapel-drottningholm.html> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Drottningholms slott – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholms_slott> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholms_slottskyrka

Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Riddarholmen Church; CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=200571

Riddarholmen Church, which this writer has visited, is located on the islet of Riddarholmen, a short distance from the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. It is Stockholm’s oldest preserved building and was originally the monastery church for the Greyfriars Monastery, Stockholm founded in 1270 and built with funds donated by King Magnus III Ladulås who is interred in the church. After the Protestant Reformation, Riddarholmen Church became a Lutheran church. A spire was added during the reign of King Johan III of Sweden (reigned 1569 – 1592) but it was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1835 and was replaced with the present cast-iron spire.

Since 1807, Riddarholmen Church has functioned solely as a burial and memorial church. It is maintained by the Office of the Marshal of the Realm and the National Property Board (SFV). The only regular services are a Christmas Day carol service organized by the Stockholm Scout Association and a Catholic Mass organized by the St. Eugenia Roman Catholic Church on June 7, the anniversary of Queen Josefina’s death in 1876. Born Joséphine of Leuchtenberg, Queen Josefina was a granddaughter of Empress Joséphine (Napoleon Bonaparte‘s first wife) from her first marriage to Alexandrede de Beauharnais, Vicomte de Beauharnais, who was guillotined during the French Revolution. Josefina remained Roman Catholic and was given a Catholic funeral.

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The Order of the Seraphim

The coats of arms of deceased members of the Order of the Seraphim along the walls with the tombs of King Karl II Knutsson Bonde (on the left) and King Magnus III s Ladulås (on the right) in the foreground; Credit – By Alexandru Baboş Albabos – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6891868

The Order of the Seraphim, established by King Fredrik I in 1748, is the senior order in Sweden. Awarded in only one class, Knight, it is almost exclusively given to members of the Swedish Royal Family and foreign heads of state. When a Knight of the Order of the Seraphim dies, his or her coat of arms is hung in Riddarholmen Chruch. On the day of the funeral, the bells of Riddarholmen Church are rung continuously from 12:00 noon until 1:00 PM. This bell ringing is called Serafimerringningen (Seraphim Ringing).

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Royal Burials

Interior of Riddarholmen Church – Photo © Susan Flantzer

Two medieval Swedish kings were buried at Riddarholmen Church, as well as the fifteen Swedish monarchs and their spouses from King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great (died 1632) to King Gustaf V (died 1950). The only exception is Queen Christina (reigned 1632 – 1654) who abdicated, then converted to Roman Catholicism and was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Riddarholmen Church also has five non-royal burial chapels, built during the 17th century by various Swedish noble families.

Due to the lack of space, Riddarholmen Church is no longer used as a burial site for the Swedish royal family. The burial place of the Swedish royal family is now the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park in Solna Municipality just north of Stockholm, Sweden, near Haga Palace. In 1922, Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden, first wife of the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, was the first person buried in the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.  King Gustaf V (died in 1950) and his wife Queen Victoria (died in 1930) were the last burials at Riddarholmen Church.

Plan of Riddarholm Church; Credit – Av Eget arbete – File:Riddarholmskyrkan planritning.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17632975

1) Tombs of King Magnus III Ladulås and King Karl Knutsson Bonde
2) Gustavian Chapel
3) Karolinska Chapel
4) Bernadotte Chapel
5) Torstensonska Chapel – Built in 1651 for Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer Lennart Torstenson (1603 – 1651)
6) Wachtmeister Chapel – Built in 1654 for Count Hans Wachtmeister of Björkö, Major General and councilor (1609 – 1652). His wife and other members of the Wachtmeister family are also buried in the Wachtmeister Chapel.
7) Armory
8a) Västra Lewenhaupt Chapel and 8b) Östra Lewenhaupt Chapel – Built in 1654 by Gustaf Adolf Lewenhaupt and Carl Mauritz Lewenhaupt who were brothers and both Field Marshals. Other family members are also buried in the chapels.
9) Banér Chapel – Built for Johan Gustafsson Banér (1596 – 1641), a Swedish Field Marshal and councilor
10) Vasaborg Chapel – Built in 1647 by King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great’s illegitimate son Gustaf Gustafsson of Vasaborg (1616 – 1653) who is buried there along with several Swedish military leaders.
11) Sacristy

Royal Burials in the Chancel

Tombs of King Magnus III Ladulås and King Karl Knutsson Bonde in front of the altar – Photo © Susan Flantzer

The first king to be buried at Riddarholmen Church was King Magnus III Ladulås who donated the funds to build the church. His tomb is in the chancel in front of the altar on the left and on his right side is the tomb of King Karl Knutsson Bonde.

Tombs of King Magnus III Ladulås and King Karl Knutsson Bonde – Photo © Susan Flantzer

Royal Burials in the Gustavian Chapel

Tomb of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great – Photo © Susan Flantzer

The Gustavian Chapel was built from 1629 – 1643. Before King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great left to fight in the Thirty Years’ War, he designated a burial place for himself in Riddarholmen Church. After he was killed in the Battle of Lützen in 1632, construction began on the tomb, which was completed in 1634. His tomb was made of dark veined Italian marble from Italy and bears the Latin inscription GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS MAGNUS, Gustav Adolf the Great. Close family members were also interred in the Gustavian Chapel.

The coffin of Princess Christina, infant daughter of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great Photo © Susan Flantzer

  • King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great of Sweden (1594 – 1632)
  • Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, Queen of Sweden (1599 – 1655), wife of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great
  • A stillborn daughter (1621), daughter of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great
  • Princess Christina of Sweden (1623 – 1624), daughter of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great
  • Princess Agnes of Holstein-Gottorp (1578 – 1627), unmarried maternal aunt of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great

Royal Burials in the Gustavian Crypt

Tomb of King Gustaf III in the Gustavian Crypt: Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

The Gustavian Crypt is not open to the public. Those who died in the 17th century were interred in tin coffins and most of the others were interred in oak coffins covered by velvet embroidered with crowns.

Royal Burials in the Karolinska Chapel

Tomb of King Karl XII; Credit – Wikipedia

The Karolinska Chapel was built from 1671 -1743. In 1718, King Karl XII invaded Norway by laying siege to Fredriksten Fortress. On December 11, 1718, while in the trenches close to the perimeter of Fredriksten Fortress, 36-year-old Karl was hit in the head by a projectile that entered the left side of his skull and exited on the right side of his skull, instantly killing him. He was interred in a black marble sarcophagus topped with a crown, a scepter, and a sword, along with the lion skin and the sword of Hercules, all in gilded brass, as symbols of power and strength.

Sarcophagus of Queen Ulrika Eleonora and her husband and successor King Fredrik I; Photo © Susan Flantzer

Also interred in the Karolinska Chapel in a green coal marble sarcophagus, are King Karl XII’s sister and successor Queen Ulrika Eleonora and her husband King Frederik I. Queen Ulrika Eleonora reigned for two years before abdicating in favor of her husband Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel who reigned as King Frederik I.

Royal Burials in the Karolinska Crypt

Sarcophagus of King Karl X Gustav in the Karolinska Crypt; Credit – Wikipedia

Interred in the Karolinska Crypt are two Kings of Sweden and their wives and six children of King Karl XI, five of whom died in infancy. The Karolinska Crypt is not open to the public.

Royal Burials in the Bernadotte Chapel

Bernadotte Chapel – Photo © Susan Flantzer

The founder of the current Swedish royal house, the House of Bernadotte, King Carl XIV Johan, born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte in France, distinguished himself in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and served as Minister of War. When Napoleon became Emperor of the French, he created Bernadotte a Marshal of France. In 1810, just as he was about to start a new position as governor of Rome, the Swedish Riksdag elected him heir to the childless King Carl XIII. The Riksdag wanted a soldier to be king because of their worries over Russia. In addition, Bernadotte was popular in Sweden because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. Bernadotte became king on February 5, 1818, upon the death of King Carl XIII and reigned as King Carl XIV Johan.

Tombs of King Carl XIV Johann and his wife Queen Desideria – Photo by Susan Flantzer

King Carl XIV Johan is interred in the large sarcophagus in the back of the chapel. The sarcophagus is made out of red Swedish porphyry. It measures 10 feet/3.04 meters × 7.5 feet/2.29 meters × 7.9 feet/2.4 meters and weighs 16 tons. In front of King Carl XIV Johann’s sarcophagus is the green marble sarcophagus of his wife Queen Desideria.

Tombs of King Oscar II and his wife Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

In the walls of the Bernadotte Chapel are niches with brown limestone sarcophagi in which later Swedish kings and queens of the House of Bernadotte were interred.

Royal Burials in the Bernadotte Crypt

An early photo of the Bernadotte Crypt; Credit – Wikipedia

The Bernadotte Crypt, located,  below the Bernadotte Chapel, is not open to the public. Several members of the Swedish royal family are interred there.

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • The Riddarholmen Church. De Kungliga Slotten. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/the-riddarholmen-church.html.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, October 19). Riddarholmen Church. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddarholmen_Church.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, November 3). Riddarholmskyrkan. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddarholmskyrkan.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (n.d.). Svenska Kungligheters Gravplatser. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svenska_kungligheters_gravplatser#Riddarholmskyrkan_i_Stockholm.

Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial; Credit – By Turismo Madrid Consorcio Turístico from Madrid, España – Monasterio EscorialUploaded by Ecemaml, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6581920

The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial about 28 miles/45 kilometers from Madrid, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Lawrence (San Lorenzo in Spanish) who was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome during the papacy of Pope Sixtus II who were martyred during the persecution of the Christians ordered the Roman Emperor Valerian in 258. It was built from 1563 – 1584 by King Felipe II of Spain for several purposes, one being the burial site of the Kings of Spain. The complex includes a palace, basilica, monastery, and library. In 1559, Felipe II appointed Spanish architect Juan Bautista de Toledo architect-royal. Together they designed the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial as a monument to Spain’s role as a center of the Christian world.

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The Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial

 

The Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a Roman Catholic church. It has been the burial place of Spanish monarchs since King Carlos I of Spain (1500 – 1558), better known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and many members of the Spanish royal family. Often funerals are held at the basilica.

 

The Royal Crypt is located beneath the basilica and the convent. There are two Pantheons containing the remains. The Pantheon of Kings contains the remains of Kings and Queen Consorts who were also mothers of Kings of Spain. The Pantheon of Infantes is the resting place of other members of the Spanish Royal Family. There are four exceptions to the burials in the Pantheon of Kings. Elisabeth of France, the first wife of King Felipe IV, gave birth to an heir to the throne before she died. Her son Balthasar Carlos, Prince of Asturias died from smallpox two years after his mother’s death, at the age of sixteen. King Felipe IV decided that Elisabeth should be interred in the Pantheon of Kings. Francisco, Duke of Cádiz and King Consort of Spain, the husband of Queen Isabella II and the father of King Alfonso XII, is also buried in the Pantheon of Kings.

King Juan Carlos I also made exceptions for the final resting place of his parents Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Barcelona. Although his father did not reign, Juan, Count of Barcelona was the heir apparent of his father King Alfonso XIII because both of his elder brothers renounced their rights of succession. When Alfonso XIII, who had lost his throne when the Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931, knew that his life was coming to an end, he formally abdicated in favor of his son Juan, who became the pretender to the Spanish throne. The dictator Francisco Franco had declared that the monarchy would be restored upon his own death. However, Franco felt that Juan would be too liberal, so he passed over him and chose Juan’s son, Juan Carlos, as heir to the Spanish throne. Although Juan, Count of Barcelona never reigned, he is considered a de jure king and he and his wife are parents of a king.

However, the royal remains are not initially interred in one of the Pantheons. Instead, the remains are taken to one of two decaying chambers (pudridero), where they remain for 30 to 40 years. The purpose of the pudridero is to reduce the size of the remains so that they will fit in lead chests, 3.2 feet/1 meter long and 16 inches/40 centimeters wide. The remains are then interred in the marble sepulchers or tombs in either the Pantheon of Kings or the Pantheon of Infantes.

Sepulchers of Carlos II, Luis I, Carlos III, and Carlos IV; Credit – By Bocachete – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6493684

The remains of King Juan Carlos’ parents Juan, Count of Barcelona and María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies currently lie in the pudridero, awaiting interment in the Pantheon of the Kings. When these remains are interred, all the sepulchers in the Pantheon of Kings will be filled. No decision has been announced as to the final resting place of former King Juan Carlos I and his wife Queen Sofia or for their son King Felipe VI and his wife Queen Letizia, the current king and queen.

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The Pantheon of Kings

The layout of the Pantheon of Kings: The two empty sepulchers 25 and 26 will be used by Don Juan, Count of Barcelona and Maria Mercedes of Two-Sicilies, parents of King Juan Carlos; Credit: By Basilio – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17239121

The Pantheon of Kings is located beneath the Basilica and houses 26 marble sepulchers containing the remains of the Kings and Queens of Spain. As seen in the layout above, it is octagonally shaped, with the sepulchers stacked in six columns around the room. An additional two sepulchers are located above the entrance. The Kings’ tombs are all on one side, while the Queens’ tombs are on the other.

The altar with two sets of niches on either side; Credit – By Bocachete – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6493547

The Pantheon of Kings is an eight-sided dome made of black marble, which is located directly below the monastery church. The doorway to the Pantheon of Kings is in the southwest wall of this octagon. On the opposite side, the northeast wall, the altar is located. The walls of the other six sides contain (as Groups I-VI) four coffin niches are arranged one above the other. Two more coffin niches are located (as group VII) in the southwest wall above the entrance. In each of these coffin niches, there is a magnificent sarcophagus made of black marble with gold decorations with gold tablets naming the names of the persons buried within.

The following members of the Spanish royal family are buried in the Pantheon of Kings:

Group I

  • Carlos I, King of Spain, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500 – 1558)
  • Felipe II, King of Spain (1527 – 1598)
  • Felipe III, King of Spain (1578 – 1621)
  • Felipe IV, King of Spain (1605 – 1665)

Group II

  • Carlos II, King of Spain (1661- 1700)
  • Luis I, King of Spain (1707 – 1724)
  • Carlos III, King of Spain (1716 – 1788)
  • Carlos IV, King of Spain (1748 – 1819)

Group III

Group IV

  • Isabella of Portugal, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1503 – 1539)
  • Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, 4th wife of Felipe II (1549 – 1580)
  • Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain, wife of Felipe III (1584 – 1611)
  • Elisabeth of France, Queen of Spain, 1st wife of Felipe IV (1602 – 1644)

Group V

  • Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain, 2nd wife of Felipe IV (1635 – 1696)
  • Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain, 1st wife of Felipe V (1688 – 1714)
  • Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos III (1724 – 1760)
  • Maria Luisa of Parma, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos IV (1751- 1819)

Group VI

Group VII – The future burial place of The Count and Countess of Barcelona

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The Pantheon of Infantes

Pantheon of the Infantes looking from Chapel IX towards Chapel VI: Credit – By Holo^-^ – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51849928

The Pantheon of Infantes is located on the same level as the Pantheon of Kings but under the monastery. In 1862, Queen Isabella II approved its construction which was carried out by José Segundo de Lema (link in Spanish), the senior architect of the Royal Palace. The Pantheon of Infantes was completed in 1888 and it was intended to be the burial place for Infantes and Infantas of Spain and for Queen Consorts of Spain who were not mothers of Kings of Spain. Infante and Infanta are Spanish royal titles that basically correspond to Prince and Princess.

The Pantheon of Infantes consists of nine chapels, each with its own altar. In contrast to the Pantheon of Kings, which is dominated by the colors black and gold, white marble was predominantly used for the walls and the sarcophagi in the Pantheon of the Infantes. In Chapel VI, a free-standing round monument serves as a collective burial site for children of the Spanish royal family who had not yet had their First Communion before they died. Among those buried In Chapel IX are sixteen members of the House of Habsburg.

The Pantheon of Infantes has its own pudridero (decaying chamber) where the remains of the deceased stay for 30 to 40 years before they are interred. Currently in the pudridero of the Pantheon of Infantes are:

Chapel I

Tombs of Infante Alfonso of Spain, Prince of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria and his mother Infanta María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias; Credit – By Alexjab – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65821441

Chapel II

Chapel III

Chapel IV

Tombs of Luis Alfonso of Bavaria, Infante of Spain and Maria de las Mercedes of Bavaria, Infanta of Spain; Credit – By Alexjab – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65821301

Chapel V

Tomb of Don Juan of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

  • Don Juan of Austria, illegitimate son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1547 – 1578)
  • Don Francisco Fernando of Austria, illegitimate son of Felipe V (1627 – 1634)
  • Don Juan José of Austria, illegitimate son of Felipe IV (1629 – 1679)

Chapel VI: Children’s Collective Grave

The free-standing round monument serves as a collective burial site for children of the Spanish royal family who had not yet had their First Communion before they died; Credit – Wikipedia

  • Infante Fernando, son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (born and died 1529)
  • Infante Juan, son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1537 – 1538)
  • Infante Lorenzo, son of Felipe II (1573 – 1575)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe II (1580 – 1583)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe III (born and died 1603)
  • Infante Alfonso, son of Felipe III (1611 – 1612)
  • Infanta Margarita, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1621)
  • Infanta Catalina, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1623)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe IV (1625 – 1627)
  • Infanta Isabel Teresa, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1627)
  • Infanta Ana Antonia, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1636)
  • Prince Ferdinand of Savoy-Carignano, son of Tommaso Francesco of Savoy, Prince of Carignano (1634 -1637)
  • Infanta Ambrosia, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1655)
  • Infante Fernando Tomás Carlos, son of Felipe IV (1658 – 1659)
  • Infante Felipe Próspero, son of Felipe IV (1657 – 1661)
  • Infante Felipe, son of Felipe V (born and died 1709)
  • Infante Francisco, son of Felipe V (born and died 1717)
  • Infant Carlos Clemens, son of Carlos IV (1771 – 1774)
  • Infanta Maria Luisa, daughter of Carlos IV (1777 – 1782)
  • Infante Carlos Eusebio, son of Carlos IV (1780 – 1783)
  • Infant Felipe, son of Carlos IV (1783 – 1784)
  • Infant Fernando Carlos Francisco, son of Carlos IV (1783 – 1784)
  • Infanta Maria Carlota, daughter of Infante Gabriel, granddaughter of Carlos III (born and died 1787)
  • Infante Carlos, son of Infante Gabriel, grandson of Carlos III (born and died 1788)
  • Infante Felipe, son of Carlos IV (1792 – 1794)
  • Infanta Maria Teresa, daughter of Carlos IV (1791 – 1794)
  • Infanta Isabel, daughter of Ferdinand VII (1817 – 1818)
  • Infante Francisco, son of Infante Francisco de Paula, grandson of Carlos IV (1820 – 1821)
  • Infanta Maria Teresa, daughter of Infante Francisco de Paula, granddaughter of Carlos IV (1828 – 1829)
  • Infante Eduardo, son of Infante Francisco de Paula, grandson of Carlos IV (1826 – 1830)
  • Infante Luis Fernando, son of Isabella II (born and died 1850)
  • Infanta Maria Cristina, daughter of Isabella II (born and died 1854)
  • Unnamed Infanta, daughter of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda – (1857)
  • Infanta María de Regla, daughter of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and
  • Infanta Luisa Fernanda (1856 – 1861)
  • Infanta María de la Concepción, daughter of Isabella II (1859 – 1861)
  • Infante Felipe, son of of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda (1862 – 1864)
  • Infante Francisco Leopoldo, son of Isabella II (born and died 1866)
  • Infante Fernando, son of Alfonso XIII (stillborn 1910)

Chapel VII

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25388301

Chapel VIII

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25427185

Chapel IX

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26540368

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Sitio_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. El Escorial – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cripta Real del Monasterio de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cripta_Real_del_Monasterio_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Panteón de Infantes – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pante%C3%B3n_de_Infantes> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Real Basílica de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Bas%C3%ADlica_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Monasterio_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Monasteriodelescorial.com. 2021. Comunidad Agustiniana – Real Monasterio de S.L. de El Escorial. [online] Available at: <http://monasteriodelescorial.com/> [Accessed 20 December 2021].

Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By rheins, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59623505

Oslo Cathedral, located in Oslo, the capital of Norway, belongs Church of Norway, a Lutheran church, a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It is Norway’s national church and is used by the Norwegian royal family and the Norwegian government for events. After a previous cathedral was damaged during a city fire in 1686, a decision was made to build the present cathedral. Since the cathedral was built after the Protestant Reformation, it has always been a Protestant church.

The interior of the Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By Hans A. Rosbach – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20018487

Oslo Cathedral was built 1694 – 1697 in the Baroque style and was consecrated in 1697. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone several extensive changes. During a renovation in the 1850s under the direction of architect Alexis de Chateauneuf, the current tower with its bronze spire was built. In keeping with the aesthetics of the 1850s, the original Baroque interior was replaced with a Neo-Gothic interior.

Oslo Cathedral in 1929

From 1933 – 1951, in anticipation of the 900th anniversary of the city of Oslo in 1950, the cathedral was restored, under the direction of architect Arnstein Arneberg and the interior was largely restored to its original Baroque interior. Oslo Cathedral was restored from 2006 – 2010, because of extensive moisture damage. The cathedral was closed during those years and was re-opened in April 2010 in the presence of King Harald V of Norway and the Norwegian royal family.

Royal Events

The wedding of the future King Olav V and Princess Märtha of Sweden

The Kingdom of Norway was established in 872 as a merger of many small kingdoms. From 1537 to 1814, Norway was a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, and from 1814 to 1905, it was in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden. In 1905, upon the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway.

The funeral of Crown Princess Märtha; Credit – By Unknown author – Oslo Museum: image no. OB.F12179, via digitaltmuseum.no., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32280021

Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, as well as the British connections of his wife Princess Maud of Wales, the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Prince Carl of Denmark, the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, was the overwhelming favorite. Before accepting, Carl insisted that the voices of the Norwegian people be heard in regards to retaining a monarchy. Following a referendum with a 79% majority in favor, Prince Carl was formally offered and then accepted the throne. He took the name Haakon VII and his two-year-old son Prince Alexander of Denmark was renamed Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway and later succeeded his father as King Olav V.

The funeral of Ari Behn

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • “Kirkebygget.” Oslo Domkirke, https://kirken.no/nb-NO/fellesrad/kirkeneioslo/menigheter/oslo-domkirken/om-domkirken/om-oslo-domkike/les-mer-om-oslo-domkirke/kirkebygget/.
  • Oslo Cathedral.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Cathedral.
  • “Oslo Domkirke.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Aug. 2021, https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_domkirke.

Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Nidaros Cathedral; Credit – By Molde20 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18361136

Originally a Roman Catholic church, Nidaros Cathedral is a church of the Church of Norway, a Lutheran denomination, in Trondheim, Norway. Trondheim’s original name was Nidaros and was founded in 997 as a trading post. During the Viking Age, it was the capital of Norway. Nidaros Cathedral was built over the burial site of King Olaf II of Norway (circa 995 – 1030), the patron saint of Norway. The cathedral was the site of coronations and now is the site of the consecration of Norwegian monarchs.

King Olaf II was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. A year later, he was given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae (Perpetual King of Norway) and was canonized a saint at Nidaros (Trondheim) by Bishop Grimketel, an English missionary who played a role in the conversion of Norway to Christianity. Olaf II’s sainthood encouraged the adoption of Christianity by Scandinavia’s Vikings/Norsemen. Pope Alexander III confirmed Olaf’s local canonization in 1164.

In the 1030s, a small wooden church was built over the burial site of Saint Olaf II. After a few years, it was replaced by a long stone church. The Romanesque and Gothic church we see today was built over a 230-year period, from 1070 to 1300. Nidaros Cathedral was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and consecrated in 1300. It remained a Roman Catholic church until 1537, during the Protestant Reformation.

Nidaros Cathedral had several fires – in 1328, 1432, 1451, and 1531 – which led to repairs and occasional new construction. The church also burned in 1708, when the entire cathedral burned except for the stone walls, and again in 1719 after being hit by lightning. Major rebuilding and restoration of Nidaros Cathedral started in 1869. It was officially completed in 2001 but the maintenance of the cathedral is an ongoing process with about 30 people continuously working on various projects.

The reconstruction of the west front of Nidaros Cathedral, the cathedral’s main façade. caused the most debate. The west front was among the most deteriorated parts of the church. Further complicating the situation was the fact that the west front was the most complex, least well documented, and most difficult to reconstruct. The oldest known depiction of the west front is an engraving by J.M. Maschius from 1661 showing two whole floors and parts of the third floor. A written source document says that Nidaros Cathedral had a rose window, a circular window found in Gothic cathedrals and churches

The reconstruction of the west front of Nidaros Cathedral; Credit – By H.-N. Meiforth, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46715064

Because of the serious damage to the west front, many reconstruction professionals opposed any attempt to restore it without major reconstruction, and so it was decided to completely reconstruct the west front, a project that lasted from 1905 to 1983. The new west front has 76 sculptures but only five of them are preserved from the Middle Ages. During the restoration, sculptures had to be provided to fill three levels of the west front. The sculptures include saints with connections to Norway, apostles, bishops, and Biblical patriarchs. See Wikipedia: Nidaros Cathedral West Front Sculptures.

The rose window on the west front viewed from the inside; Credit – https://www.therosewindow.com/TheRoseWindow2/Trondheim.htm

The rose window on the west front was a gift from the women of Norway to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the death of King Olaf II in 1930. The women raised the funds by selling their crafts. Gabriel Kielland, a Norwegian painter, architect, and designer designed the rose window which was completed in 1930. The window depicts the Last Judgement.

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Coronations

King Haakon VII and Queen Maud seated on their thrones during their coronation in 1906; Credit – Wikipedia

Coronations took place in Norway between 1164, when the first coronation took place, and 1906 when the last coronation took place. The early coronations were held at Christ Church (Old Cathedral) in Bergen, Norway and then several coronations took place in Oslo. In 1397, the Kalmar Union united Norway, Sweden, and Denmark under one king. Until the Kalmar Union was dissolved in 1523, the kings were crowned in each of the three countries. In the 1400s, three of the Norwegian coronations took place at Nidaros Cathedral while the other coronations were held in Oslo.

Coronation of Karl III Johan in Nidaros Cathedral in 1818; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1537 to 1814, Norway was a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, and from 1814 to 1905, it was in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden. After absolutism was introduced in Denmark in 1660, the separate Norwegian coronations were abolished and a joint coronation was held in Denmark with the participation of both a Danish bishop and a Norwegian bishop. In 1814, the new Constitution of Norway stipulated that a coronation would be held at Nidaros Cathedral.

Consecrations

King Harald being consecrated by Bishop Finn Wagle; Photo: Royal House of Norway, Bjørn Sigurdsøn, Scanpix

At the beginning of the 20th century, many members of Storting, the Norwegian parliament, considered the coronation undemocratic and outdated. In 1908, two years after the coronation of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud, the provision requiring a coronation was removed from the Constitution with only two votes against it. When Olav V became king in 1957, he introduced a new tradition of consecration at Nidaros Cathedral that was continued by his son King Harald V in 1991. For more information, see Royal House of Norway: Consecration.

Wedding

Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn walking down the aisle of Nidaros Cathedral after their wedding; Photo: Royal House of Norway, Gorm Kallestad, Scanpix

Burials

King Olaf II’s remains are said to be buried under the altar; Credit – By Sparrow (麻雀) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78176353

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Coronations in Norway – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronations_in_Norway> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidaros_Cathedral> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral West Front – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidaros_Cathedral_West_Front> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • Nidarosdomen. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral. [online] Available at: <https://www.nidarosdomen.no/en> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • No.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidarosdomen – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidarosdomen> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • Thor, Evelyn, 2017. The rose window at the Nidaros Cathedral – a womans project : The NTNU University Library’s blog for special collections. [online] Ntnu.no. Available at: <https://www.ntnu.no/blogger/ub-spesialsamlinger/en/2017/09/11/the-rose-window-at-the-nidaros-cathedral-a-womans-project/> [Accessed 23 October 2021].

Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Delft, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft; Credit – Door Natuur12 – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28304742

Since the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, all Dutch monarchs and consorts have been buried at the Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church) in Delft, located in South Holland (Zuid-Holland), the Netherlands. In addition to the monarchs of the Netherlands and their consorts, most Princes of Orange after Willem I (the Silent) and their consorts were also buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft was built in the 14th and 15th centuries and was originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Ursula of Cologne. In 1572, during the Reformation, the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft was taken over by the Dutch Reformed Church. Today the Dutch royal family are members of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Netherlands. While the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft is open for visitors, the royal burial vaults of the House of Orange-Nassau are private and not open to the public and there are no photos of the tombs. The church has services every Sunday for members of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands in Delft.

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft circa 1742 – 1801; Credit – Wikipedia

This church was the second church in Delft after the Oude Kerk (Old Church) and was therefore called the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). The first Nieuwe Kerk was a temporary wooden church, constructed from 1381 – 1382 and consecrated on July 6, 1382. Two years later, the construction of a Gothic stone basilica around the wooden church started. On August 11, 1384, the foundation stone for the choir of the basilica was laid on the east side of the wooden church. After the completion of the interior, the wooden church was dismantled. The foundation stone of the tower was laid on September 6, 1396, by four city councilors of the city. On September 6, 1496, exactly 100 years after the start of construction, the tower was finished.

On May 3, 1536, a fire in Delft, probably caused by a lightning strike to the Nieuwe Kerk tower, caused hundreds of buildings to burn including the entire city archives resulting in the loss of recorded information from before 1536. The tower of the church was rebuilt.

View of Delft after the 1654 Delft Thunderclap by Egbert van der Poel, The Nieuwe Kerk can be seen on the left; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 12, 1654, the Delft Thunderclap (link in German) disaster took place. A gunpowder storage facility located in the northeast center of Delft exploded. The exact number of people who died in the disaster has never been established. Nearly every building in the city center was damaged and buildings further away, such as the Nieuwe Kerk, also suffered damage. All the stained glass windows in the Nieuwe Kerk were blown out. In 1872, the Nieuwe Kerk tower was damaged again after a lightning strike. The Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers designed a new tower using the strong Bentheimer sandstone.

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Burial Church of the Dutch Royal Family

A drawing made by a French journalist who entered the crypts in 1890 just before King Willem III was interred; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1584, Willem I (the Silent) Prince of Orange was assassinated at the Prinsenhof in Delft. He had planned to be buried at the Grote Kerk (Great Church) in Breda, where members of the Nassau-Dillenburg family, ancestors to the Dutch Royal Family, the House of Orange-Nassau, were traditionally buried, but Breda was under Spanish control. Instead, his remains were placed in a cloth-covered coffin in the choir of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

It was not until 1609 that the States-General decided to build a tomb for Willem the Silent, considered the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland). Willem is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs, the ancestor of British monarchs from King George I forward, and the ancestor of other European royal families. However, work on the tomb never began and in 1614, Willem the Silent’s fourth wife and widow Louise de Coligny insisted that a suitable tomb be built.

Tomb of Willem the Silent; Photo Credit – Door Zairon – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56280054

Hendrick de Keyser, a Dutch sculptor and architect, was commissioned to build the tomb. After his death, his son Pieter de Keyser, also a sculptor and an architect, completed the tomb in 1623. A crypt was constructed under the tomb with an entrance behind the tomb. The remains of Willem I (the Silent) were moved to the crypt at an unknown date. The crypt is sealed by a large stone cover with four brass rings commissioned by Queen Wilhelmina in 1925. On the stone cover is this inscription in Latin:  “Here Willem I, the Father of the Fatherland, expects the resurrection.”  The crypt became the burial site for subsequent Princes of Orange and their families and later for the monarchs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and their families. The original crypt, called the Old Crypt, was expanded in 1625 and 1752. In 1822, an additional crypt called the New Crypt was constructed.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground and the cenotaph for William the Silent in the background and ; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

Members of the House of Orange-Nassau visited and probably still visit the crypts but they have never been open to the public out of respect for the privacy of the royal family and because they are not suitable for public visits. The mayor of Delft is the commissioner of the royal vaults. He inspects the crypts once a year and ensures that the royal family can always visit them. The mayor opens the crypts in the presence of two members of the Dutch security service and two military police. Only sworn personnel may carry out work in the crypts. The large stone cover is only removed for burials of members of the Dutch royal family. For all other purposes, a small service entrance next to Willem the Silent’s tomb is used.

The only information about what the crypts look like comes from two drawings. In 1890, a drawing was made by a French journalist who entered the crypts just before King Willem III was interred.  In the same year, Victor Eugène Louis de Stuers, a Dutch art historian, lawyer, civil servant, and politician, made a pencil drawing of the Old Crypt.

Victor Eugène Louis de Stuers’ drawing of the Old Crypt with the body-like lead sarcophagus of Louise de Coligny on the bottom right and Willem I, Prince of Orange’s coffin on the bottom left; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 20, 2021, it was announced that the royal vault in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft would be refurbished and expanded. From Royal House of the Netherlands: Expansion crypt Nieuwe Kerk Delft: “With the burials of Prince Claus (2002) and Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard (2004), the maximum capacity of the burial vault of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft has almost been reached. The expansion of the royal vault means that a new cellar will be built in the south ambulatory of the church. The crypt will be connected to the existing vestibule (dating from 1925) of the current royal crypt. In addition, the crypt will have a new secondary entrance on the outside of the church, creating direct access to the crypt. In the extension of the burial vault, space will be created for more than twenty burials.”

In the diagram below, the Old Crypt is labeled with the years 1623, 1625, and 1752. The New Crypt is labeled with the year 1822 and the newest crypt is labeled with the year 2022. The area labeled with the year 1925 is a vestibule.

Floor plan of the current royal burial vault in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, along with the new expansion of the burial vault to be built in 2022; Credit – Royal House of the Netherlands: Expansion crypt Nieuwe Kerk

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Burials at the Nieuwe Kerk, Delft

Queen Juliana and her husband Prince Bernhard and other members of the Dutch royal family watch as Queen Wilhelmina’s coffin is taken to the royal crypts in 1962; Credit – Wikipedia

Most funerals of those buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft had funerals at the church.

Buried in the Old Crypt:

  • Willem I, Prince of Orange (Willem the Silent) (1533 – 1584)
  • Louise de Coligny, fourth wife of Willem I, Prince of Orange (1555 – 1620)
  • Maurits, Prince of Orange (1567 – 1625)
  • Princess Henriëtte Amalia, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (born and died 1628)
  • Princess Elisabeth of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange born and died 1630)
  • Prince Hendrik Lodewijk, son of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (born and died 1639)
  • Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (1584 – 1647)
  • Princess Isabella Charlotte of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (1632 – 1642)
  • Princess Catharina Belgica of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Willem I, Prince of Orange, wife of the Count of Hanau-Münzenberg  (1578 – 1648)
  • Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, wife of Frederik Hendrik,Prince of Orange (1602 – 1675)

Buried in the New Crypt:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • An Ard Rí and Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Dutch Royal Burial Sites. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/nieuwe-kerk-new-church-in-delft-the-netherlands/> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Koninklijkhuis.nl. 2021. Uitbreiding grafkelder Nieuwe Kerk Delft. [online] Available at: <https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/onderwerpen/overlijden/nieuwe-kerk-delft/uitbreiding-grafkelder> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Delftse donderslag – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_donderslag> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grafkelder van Oranje-Nassau – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafkelder_van_Oranje-Nassau> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Oude en Nieuwe Kerk Delft. 2021. Royal crypts. [online] Available at: <https://oudeennieuwekerkdelft.nl/en/new-church/royal-family/royal-crypts> [Accessed 4 October 2021].

Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Nieuwe Kerk on the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Royal Palace is on the left; Photo – © Susan Flantzer

The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which this writer has visited, is located on the Dam Square next to the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and later to St. Catherine of Sweden, the church became a Dutch Reformed Church after the Protestant Reformation. The current Dutch royal family belongs to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Netherlands.

The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services and has been converted into a cultural center. Since 1980, the Nationale Stichting De Nieuwe Kerk (National Foundation of the Nieuwe Kerk) has organized the exhibtions and concerts held in the church. However, the Nieuwe Kerk is used for the inauguration of the Dutch monarch according to Article 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which states, the Dutch monarch “shall be sworn in and inaugurated as soon as possible in the capital city, Amsterdam, at a public and a joint session of the two Houses of the States-General.” In addition, the religious wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was held at the Nieuwe Kerk in 2002.

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) was becoming too small for the growing population of Amsterdam. Frederik van Blankenheim, Bishop of Utrecht gave permission for a second church to be constructed. Willem Eggert, a nobleman, banker, and alderman of Amsterdam, donated the orchard near his house for the church site and was the builder and financier of the church. Upon his death in 1417, Willem Eggert was buried in the Eggert Chapel at the Nieuwe Kerk. The Nieuwe Kerk was constructed between 1380 and 1408, and the church was consecrated in 1409.

The Nieuwe Kerk on fire in 1645; Credit – Wikipedia

Fires in 1421 and 1452 caused minor damage, however, there was a major fire on January 11, 1645. Due to the carelessness of workers, the roof caught on fire and a strong northeastern wind allowed the fire to quickly spread. The roof came crashing down, burning almost everything in the church. The interior of the church dates for the most part from after the fire of 1645. Although the time of Gothic architecture was over by then, the Gothic style was used for the restoration.

The church has undergone several restorations since the 1645 fire restoration. From 1892 – 1912, neo-Gothic elements were added to restore the church to its state before the 1645 fire. Between 1959 – 1980, modern conveniences such as lighting and heating were added and/or improved.

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The Inauguration of the Dutch Monarch

The Nieuwe Kerk during the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander in 2013

After the defeat of Napoleon, Willem VI, Prince of Orange, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

Upon his or her accession to the throne, the new Dutch monarch participates in an inauguration ceremony as required by the constitution at a joint session of the two houses of the States-General of the Netherlands at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. A monarch must be eighteen years old to participate in an inauguration.

The Regalia of the Netherlands and the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Regalia of the Netherlands and the constitution are placed on a table. The crown symbolizes the monarch’s sovereignty and dignity, the royal scepter symbolizes the monarch’s authority, the orb symbolizes the dominions upon which he reigns, and the constitution symbolizes the constitutional monarchy. The regalia are never physically given to or worn by the monarch. The monarch, wearing a royal mantle, sits on a chair of state opposite members of the States-General and the regalia. The monarch gives an address before taking the oath to uphold the constitution and protect the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

King Willem-Alexander taking the oath

The oath: I swear (promise) to the people of the Kingdom that I shall constantly preserve and uphold the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution. I swear (promise) that I shall defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the Kingdom to the best of my ability, that I shall protect the freedom and rights of all Dutch citizens and residents, and that I shall employ all means placed at my disposal by the law to preserve and promote prosperity, as a good king should do. So help me God! (This I promise!)

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September 21, 1815 – Inauguration of King Willem I; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem I of the Netherlands

November 28, 1840 – Inauguration of King Willem II; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem II of the Netherlands

May 12, 1849 – Inauguration of King Willem III; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem III of the Netherlands

September 6, 1891 – Inauguration of Queen Wilhelmina; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

September 6, 1948 – Inauguration of Queen Juliana; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

April 30, 1980 – Inauguration of Queen Beatrix; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

April 30, 2013 – Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

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Wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti

Willem-Alexander and Maxima leaving the Nieuwe Kerk after their marriage

On February 2, 2002, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, then The Prince of Orange and heir to the Dutch throne, married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in a civil ceremony at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, followed by a religious ceremony at Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk. Approximately 1700 guests attended the religious service.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De Nieuwe kerk Amsterdam. 2021. De Nieuwe Kerk – Amsterdam. [online] Available at: <https://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Inauguration of the Dutch monarch – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_the_Dutch_monarch> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Inauguration of Willem-Alexander – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Willem-Alexander> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk,_Amsterdam> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2017. Wedding of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/wedding-of-king-willem-alexander-and-maxima-zorreguieta-cerruti/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Amsterdam) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Amsterdam)> [Accessed 2 October 2021].

The Grote Kerk (The Great Church) in The Hague, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Grote Kerk/Great Church; Credit – By Ralf Roletschek (talk) – Fahrradtechnik auf fahrradmonteur.de – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10439163

The Grote Kerk or Sint-Jacobskerk (Great Church or St. James’ Church) is one of the oldest buildings in The Hague, the Netherlands. While Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the administrative and royal capital of the Netherlands and its seat of government. Originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to Saint James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles, the church became a Dutch Reformed Church after the Protestant Reformation. The current Dutch royal family belongs to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Netherlands. The Grote Kerk has not been used for weekly services since 1982. It is owned by the City of The Hague and is mainly used for cultural events, such as concerts, fairs, and exhibitions. However, the House of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch royal family, has used and still uses the Grote Kerk for christenings and weddings.

Interior of the Grote Kerk; Credit- By Zairon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55374431

The Grote Kerk was founded in the late 13th century and the very first church was probably a wooden church. The present church was built in stages between the 14th and 16th centuries. Sources from 1337 refer to a “great church” which typically meant a brick structure. From 1420 – 1424, the 304 foot/92.5-meter high tower was built. The original brick church was built as a cruciform church with a nave and two side aisles. From 1434 – 1455, the width of the two side aisles was widened and the height of the aisles was raised to the roof level resulting in the loss of the cross shape. The resulting style was called a hall church.

Nave of the Grote Kerk; Credit – By Zairon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55374430

In 1539, lightning struck the church tower causing damage to the tower and the church. Lotteries and collections raised money for repairs. The stained glass windows were also destroyed. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also Archduke of Austria, King of Spain, and Lord of the Netherlands), the Bishop of Utrecht, and some city councils donated new stained glass windows. At least fourteen church windows received new stained glass windows in the 16th century but only two have survived: the Annunciation Window (1541) and the Emperor Charles Window (1547). The rest were replaced by unpainted stained glass windows.

Emperor Charles Window; Credit – Wikipedia

Speech from the Throne 2020 and 2021

King Willem-Alexander accompanied by Queen Maxima acknowledges the audience after the Speech from the Throne in the Grote Kerk on September 21, 2021

The third Tuesday of September is called Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day, also called Budget Day) in the Netherlands. The monarch, as head of state, delivers the Speech from the Throne to a joint session of the legislature, States-General of the Netherlands. In the speech, the government indicates in general terms what government policy will be for the coming year. The Speech from the Throne has been delivered from the Ridderzaal (Knights Hall), a medieval reception hall in the Binnenhof in The Hague, the 13th-century Gothic castle originally used as the residence of the Counts of Holland. Today, the Binnenhof is a complex of buildings in The Hague that houses both houses of the States-General of the Netherlands, the Ministry of General Affairs, and the office of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

In 2020, it was decided that King Willem Alexander would deliver the Speech from the Throne that year in the Grote Kerk. The Ridderzaal could not offer enough space to keep an appropriate distance in accordance with Covid-19 measures. For the same reason, the Speech from the Throne in 2021 was also delivered in the Grote Kerk.

Royal Christenings

The christening of Princess Catharina-Amalia, now the Princess of Orange, who is being held by her mother, now Queen Maxima, as her father, now King Willem-Alexander, looks on

  • July 1, 1626 – Willem II, Prince of Orange, son of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • December 16, 1627 – Princess Louise Henriëtte, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • November 23, 1628 – Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • May 20, 1632 – Princess Isabella Charlotte of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • June 8, 1634 – Princess Albertine Agnes of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • March 29, 1637 – Princess Henriëtte Catharina of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • October 26, 1642 – Princess Maria of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • January 15, 1651 – Willem III, Prince of Orange (later also King William III of England), son of Willem II, Prince of Orange and Mary, Princess Royal (eldest daughter of King Charles I of England)
  • February 8, 1689 – Princess Maria Amalia of Nassau-Dietz, daughter of Prince Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz, great-granddaughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • April 11, 1748 – Willem V, Prince of Orange, son of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • January 13, 1761 – Hereditary Prince Georg Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • December 20, 1761 – Hereditary Prince Ludwig of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • February 8, 1764 – Princess Maria of Nassau-Weilburg, daughter of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, granddaughter of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • October 2, 1765 – Princess Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, daughter of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, granddaughter of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • October 30, 1768 – Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • December 19, 1770 – Princess Louise of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • September 17, 1772 – King Willem I of the Netherlands, son of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • March 3, 1774 – Prince Frederik of Orange-Nassau, son of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • December 28, 1792 – King Willem II of the Netherlands, son of King Willem I of the
  • Netherlands
  • August 24, 1818 – Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, son of King Willem II of the Netherlands
  • May 4, 1824 – Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, daughter of King Willem II of the Netherlands
  • August 18, 1828 – Princess Louise of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, granddaughter of King Willem I of the Netherlands
  • August 12, 1841 – Princess Marie of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, granddaughter of King Willem I of the Netherlands
  • May 12, 1938 – Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
  • September 2, 1967 – King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
  • June 12, 2004 – Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange, daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

Royal Weddings

Wedding of Queen Wilhelmina and Duke Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in the Great Church in The Hague on February 7, 1901. To the left of the bride her mother Queen Emma and Hendrik’s cousin, Grand Duke Frederik Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. To the right of the groom is his mother Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk (The Hague) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_or_Sint-Jacobskerk_(The_Hague)> [Accessed 1 October 2021].
  • Grote-kerk.nl. 2021. Grote Kerk Den Haag. [online] Available at: <https://www.grote-kerk.nl/> [Accessed 1 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk (Den Haag) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_of_Sint-Jacobskerk_(Den_Haag)> [Accessed 1 October 2021].

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Cathedral of Monaco) in Monaco-Ville, Monaco

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By User:Berthold Wernerld Werner – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15613011

The Romanesque Revival style Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Cathedral of Monaco, is a Roman Catholic church in Monaco-Ville, Principality of Monaco. Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297 when Francesco Grimaldi from the Republic of Genoa, now in Italy, and his men captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco while dressed as Franciscan monks. The modern Grimaldis are not descendants of Francesco. His marriage was childless, and after his death in 1309, he was succeeded by his cousin and stepson Rainier I of Monaco, Lord of Cagnes. The ruler of Monaco was known as Lord of Monaco until 1612 when the Council of Monaco recognized Honoré II as Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

The first parish church in Monaco was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors. Over the years, the Lords and Sovereign Princes of Monaco along with the people of Monaco generously gave funds to decorate and enlarge the Church of Saint Nicholas.

Interior of the Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By Leandro Neumann Ciuffo – Catedral de Monte-Carlo – 2, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28378642

Prince Charles III (reigned 1856-1889) decided to build a new and larger church on the original site of the Church of Saint Nicholas. The original church was destroyed in 1874 and the first stone of the new church was laid in 1875. The new Cathedral of Monaco was dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception with Saint Nicholas of Myra and Saint Benoît (Saint Benedict of Nursia) as secondary patron saints. Sometimes the cathedral is called St. Nicholas Cathedral after the original church. Although the new building was only two-thirds completed, the first services were held in 1886. The cathedral was inaugurated in 1903 and consecrated in 1911.

Altar of the Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By Leandro Neumann Ciuffo – Catedral de Monte-Carlo – 3, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28378641

Royal Christenings

The christening of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Weddings

The wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Grace Kelly

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Funerals

The funeral of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Burials

Grave of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco; Credit – www.findagrave.com

The current cathedral was built over the areas of the previous church and the old cemetery so that the sovereign princes and consorts originally buried at the Church of Saint Nicholas are now buried in the Cathedral of Monaco. All of Monaco’s sovereign princes except Jacques I and Honoré III and many of the consorts are buried at the Cathedral of Monaco.

Entrance to the common vault where the Grimaldi family members originally buried at the Church of St. Nicholas are buried; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Unofficial Royalty: Monaco Royal Burial Sites

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • An Ard Rí and Flantzer, Susan. Unofficial Royalty. 2012. Monaco Royal Burial Sites. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/monaco-burial-sites/> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_Immaculate> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2019. Monaco Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/monaco-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée de Monaco — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Notre-Dame-Immacul%C3%A9e_de_Monaco> [Accessed 13 September 2021].