Roman gods

Two miracles in the 13th and 15th centuries made the Basilica of Meerssen a renowned architectural pilgrimage site. Its predecessor, a chapel, is said to have been the country retreat of Charlemagne.

Built of marlstone and richly decorated with large stained-glass windows and buttresses, this basilica is a prime example of Maas Gothic architecture. Gothic succeeded Romanesque architecture, which in turn was inspired by the Romans. The interior was designed by Pierre Cuypers, architect of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Roman Catacombs in Valkenburg.

Next to the basilica in Meerssen stand a Jewish synagogue and a Protestant church. Just as in Roman times, when alongside the worship of Roman gods there was also room for other religions, different faiths coexisted here. Roman gods were often adapted to local deities. This openness helped the Roman Empire to expand so widely.