Heilige Johannes de Doper
Balgoij, NL
Exceptionally important church in neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic styles, with tower. Built to replace an earlier church , the medieval tower of which still remains elsewhere in the village. Crucifix church on a strongly centralised plan, with an apse on the choir side. Tower to the left of the front facade, covered by a tent roof. The design is in line with the wishes of the Liturgical Movement (so-called people's church) of the early twentieth century: enlarged crossing in the form of an irregular octagon. Largely wooden vaulting of the interior; the vault over the crossing contains a fanlight. The late nineteenth-century inventory (including the main altar) probably comes from the previous church. Partly because this is one of the last remaining churches designed by architect J. van der Valk, this church has an extra rarity value. The only other church by this architect that still exists and is in use as a church is the OL Vrouw Moeder van Goede Raad in Tilburg-Broekhoven; two others have been demolished, and one is out of use; the 2 demolished churches are the H. Sacrament in 's-Hertogenbosch and the St. Joseph in Eindhoven-Tongelre; the St. Bernadette in Rosmalen-Maliskamp is out of use.