On February 5, 2013, the monumental St. Clemens Church in Nes on Ameland burned down. The church can be considered lost. We follow the developments after the fire: first from hour to hour, then from day to day and then the important events regarding the church and the reconstruction. The fire has a long aftermath. Eighteen months after the fire, the walls are still propped up and no construction is taking place yet. Reconstruction started two and a half years after the fire and the bishop can consecrate the rebuilt church in November 2017.
5.53 am / Source: Liesbeth Kiewied
The iconic building of Nes in the hens
- Fire in the Sint Clemenskerk in Nes on Ameland and the aftermath
- Tuesday February 5, 2013
- Wednesday February 6, 2013
- Thursday February 7, 2013
- Recovery Fund
- Friday February 8, 2013
- Saturday February 9, 2013
- Sunday February 10, 2013
- Monday February 11, 2013
Fire in the Sint Clemenskerk in Nes on Ameland and the aftermath
What no one hopes for and is feared by many happens on February 5, 2013. The monumental church building on the Kardinaal de Jongweg in Nes on Ameland goes up in flames.
Tuesday February 5, 2013
5:00 am
Before five, a fire starts in the Sint Clemenskerk in Nes. Around five o’clock, local resident Jaap Oud sees the church on fire. He immediately calls 911. Local resident Rudolf Teuben is awakened at that time by the crackling sound. At 5:10 am he sees the flames bursting from the roof of the ship and checks whether anyone is present in the parsonage. That appears not to be the case: Koster Theo Kiewiet is abroad. At half past six, the roof of the Roman Catholic church is on fire and the tower with clock in front of the altar in the church collapses. The fire brigade is then present, but there is no extinguishing. From the photos taken just after five hours of the fire, it appears that the fire started on the west side. In a few minutes the entire roof is ablaze and in half an hour it is completely burned away.
11:00 am
The municipality will conduct an inspection with the police at 11 a.m. They note that there has been no danger to public health. After consultation with the monument conservation group, the municipality decides to shore up the walls that are still standing. There is a risk of collapse and there is a desire to preserve the walls to serve as a basis for a new church to be built. The municipality will bring security and fences will be placed around the site in the afternoon. The security is set because of:
- securing tracks;
- the danger of collapse;
- stopping souvenir hunters.
Wednesday February 6, 2013
There is a police investigation into the cause of the fire. The technical investigation department searches for traces with a sniffer dog. The investigation does not yet reveal the cause, but it can rule out some possible causes and the investigation will continue. The fire was not caused by:
- lightning strike;
- short circuit;
- arson.
Insurance experts, together with an expert from monument conservation and the economist of the diocese, come to look at the church. They call the damage to the church significant.
Thursday February 7, 2013
The Cuypers Society writes a letter to the mayor and aldermen of Ameland and to the council members. The society, which is committed to architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries and architecture after the Second World War, advocates rebuilding the monument. “Although much of the building has disappeared due to the fire, sufficient monumental remains have been preserved to justify restoration of the monument.” A bank number for the Clemenskerk recovery fund will be announced.
Recovery Fund
The reconstruction of the church will probably cost three million euros and insurance will not cover all costs.
A Recovery Fund has been created for the reconstruction of the church. Restoration of Sint Clemenskerk, Rabobank number 1018 457 58.IBAN NL 07 RABO 01018 457 58
Vice-chairman of the parish Foppe Kiewiet and Bishop Gerard de Korte / Source: Ameland Press Agency
Friday February 8, 2013
Bishop Gerard de Korte of the Groningen-Leeuwarden diocese comes to Ameland to see the remains of the church with his own eyes. He speaks to the parish council. A security guard reports that two books have been found in the rubble and that one of them is a collection of Christmas carols. Silent Night can be read on the first page. The rooster from the Clemenskerktoren has also been found. The gold leaf has burned off, but the copper rooster is still there.
Saturday February 9, 2013
Some parish members are preparing the service on February 10. The auditorium will be equipped for 140 people and an altar and organ will be installed. Expressions of support come in from home and abroad to the presbytery, the parish council and the mayor.
Sunday February 10, 2013
The parishioners hold a Eucharist celebration in the Nes auditorium. About one hundred and fifty people attend the service, including Mayor Albert de Hoop and his wife. During the service, a letter from Bishop Gerard de Korte is read out offering encouragement to the parishioners. It is announced that the church is well insured and that rebuilding the monument is the first option.
Monday February 11, 2013
The site is cleared and the room at the De Toel meeting center can also be used again. Security leaves the area.
October 2014
The remains of the church still have struts against the walls. There are construction plans, but no construction activity is visible yet. In November 2013, the parish council decided that reconstruction would start on May 1, 2014, but that turned out not to be a feasible option. The start of the work will be postponed until autumn 2015. Initially, the parish council thinks that the 2015 Pentecost celebration can take place in the new church, but that plan is far from being achieved.
October 2015
Reconstruction started at the end of October 2015. The parish wants to have churches in its own church in July 2016, even though the church will not be completely ready by then. The newly designed murals can only be applied once the plasterwork has hardened. This plan is also not completely achieved. The first service will take place in December 2016.
November 2016
In November 2016, the church will again participate in the Ameland Art Month. There are exhibitions in the side aisles and the church itself can be visited. The Lady Chapel, the stained glass and the wall and ceiling paintings can be admired.
December 2016
On December 18, 2016, the church will be festively opened and the first Eucharist celebration will take place between the fresh murals by the parishioner.
November 2017
On November 25, 2017, a solemn consecration of the church will take place by the new bishop of the Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden Ron van den Hout. Gerard de Korte, who was involved after the fire, has been bishop of Den Bosch since May 2016.
read more
- Sint Clemenskerk in Nes on Ameland – Cuyperskerk
- Ameland Fire Department – two firefighting groups, one corps
- Clemens Church in Nes on Ameland – reconstruction of a national monument
- Cuypers Society and Pierre Cuypers
- Shopping on the Internet – Kerkmarkt.nl from VKB