The Rolduc Abbey in Kerkrade, NL

This is the last of our three Christmas Gifts from our mini-vacation in the south of the Netherlands and Germany the second week in December.  First it was the Christmas market in Maastricht, NL, on Friday, and the next day, Saturday, the Christmas market in Aachen, Germany.

On Sunday we stayed in Kerkrade, NL, where our hotel was, and drove to the nearby Rolduc Abbey from the 12th century.

How's this for believing it's the biggest abbey in the Netherlands!

[Trip Advisor image]

It's now a secondary school, a Roman Catholic seminary, and the Rolduc Congress Center.

It even has a hotel where you can stay.

And this is the entrance to the huge complex, on a snowy day.

Once inside the front gate, time seemed to stand still.

But once inside the abbey, the fun and games began next to where we purchased our tickets.

This was like another Christmas market...except inside.

All along the long hallways were artists selling their wares.

Astrid's DIL happens to collect snails, so we HAD to get her the escarGOOOOOOT.  How clever.

Looking out from inside we saw the snow accumulating in the courtyard.

In fact, after purchasing our tickets, we crossed one of the courtyards....

and bought another gift for friends:  Rolduc Abbey beer, which is brewed on site.

We saw the 18th c. cloisters only from the courtyard, but that still worked a treat.

But back inside, what we most wanted to see was the abbey church.

Throughout the day there were different groups performing musical numbers,

so we returned twice to get some images in between performances.

The first performance we attended was of a flute/recorder ensemble.

It was fabulous!
Astrid and I both played recorders back in the day.  Can you imagine playing there?!

After the children's choir, we had the chance to visit the altar, choir and chancel area,
before it became off limits.
It's a different view looking back across the nave to the organ in the back.

On either side of the chancel, on the main floor, is a side chapel.

A stairway leads down to the crypt from the left chapel.
All of the column capitals have a different design!

And as so often happens, I found the crypt space much cozier for my heart and soul.

But that's because these larger spaces are more like museums to me than churches.
I've learned to accept that after my protestant upbringing.

Before we left we had a sweet little lunch of erwtensoep  (pea soup) and brats....

and a last look at impressions.

Once again, it was enough,  We were filled up.
We had our Christmas market "fix" before leaving for home the next day...in falling snow!