St. Sebastianuskerk

The parish of Melick and Herkenbosch was first mentioned in 1190 and both villages had the same pastor until 1795. In the 13th century a marlstone church was built, of which the priest choir still stands. In 1558 Herkenbosch was already listed as ecclesia, possibly indicating a certain independence. In 1795 Herkenbosch became an independent parish and it got its own pastor. In the 19th century the church had become too small. That is why the church was expanded in the period 1886-1889 in a neo-Romanesque style to the design of Johannes Kayser. The tower was increased and a new spire was added. In 1924 the church was enlarged again, this time to the design of Caspar Franssen. The old tower was then replaced by a new one and the church itself was expanded on the north and south sides. On February 20, 1945, retreating Germans blew up the church and the church was partly destroyed. On the advice of Joseph Franssen, the irreparable part was demolished, the rest - the priest choir - could be preserved. In 1948-1949 the current church was built to the design of Harry Koene with Frits Peutz as supervisor. The old foundations and old columns were reused. The church was inaugurated on the Christmas night of 1949. On April 13, 1992, the church was badly damaged by an earthquake. The entire church was then restored, with the tower getting a new wooden spire. The orientated brick hall church consists of a west tower in a westwork, a four-aisled nave with four bays and a marl stone early Gothic choir with one bay and five-sided choir closure. The nave is covered by a gable roof, the side aisles have transverse gable roofs per bay, the choir is covered by a gable roof and the choir end by a polygonal hipped roof.