Saint Catherine's Church (St. Catharinakerk), Eindhoven (must see)

Saint Catherine's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the downtown area of Eindhoven. Dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, it was built on the site of a medieval church known as Saint Katarina.

The original church was constructed sometime in the 13th century but was not well established until 1340. A cemetery was built near the church in 1399 after it was promoted from a dependent to a collegiate church. The church also became known as a place of pilgrimage.

Sadly, the original church faced much destruction throughout its life. Partially damaged by fire in 1554, it was looted, fell into ruin, and eventually razed.

The current Saint Catherine's Church was built in 1867. It was designed in the Gothic Revival architectural style by architect Pierre Cuypers. For this church, Cuypers used ideas of symbolism in designing two towers. The southern tower is the more refined and represents the Ivory Tower, a symbol of the purity of Mary. The northern structure, decorated with turrets and battlements, represents the Tower of David, a symbol of strength.

Saint Catherine's Church was damaged during World War II. Restoration work replaced glass windows with stained glass crafted by Charles Eyck and Pieter Wiegersma. The largest of the church's two organs was destroyed in the war and rebuilt with more than 5,700 pipes. A carillon with a circumference of five octaves was added in 1966.

The Music Foundation regularly holds music concerts in the church. The church building was declared a National Cultural Monument in 1972.