Grote or St. Martin's Church Zaltbommel

Zaltbommel is a town with a nice market square where various shops and terraces are located. A visit to the St. Martin's Church is also more than worthwhile.

The Grote or Sint-Maartenskerk of Zaltbommel is a large basilica with a three-aisled nave and a single-aisled choir and is considered one of the most important examples of Lower Rhine Gothic. Nowadays it is a Protestant (PKN) church.

The church had an 11th century predecessor.

The oldest part of the church is the 14th-century choir, which was built at the time as an extension of the predecessor of the current church, which was elevated to a collegiate church. This choir is lower than the nave and also differs in style from the rest of the church. The construction of the first church was started by Bishop Bernold or Bernulphus who built a Romanesque cruciform church on the site. Excavations in 1981 and 1984 revealed the presence of this church when foundation remains were found under the floor. In 1303 the building (with the new, still existing choir) was elevated to a collegiate church with ten canons. The existing choir together with the so-called Pig Tower are the only remains of this church. The current basilica was built from around 1450 and was completed in around 1500. In 1572 Zaltbommel was captured by the Water Beggars. The chapter was then dissolved and St. Martin's Church became a Reformed church building.

A beautiful church, with a great big organ and a floor made of old gravestones. It's worth taking a closer look at these. Admission is free. The tower cannot always be visited, mostly on Saturdays.
The spire has burned down twice in the past due to lightning and would not be rebuilt after the second time.