A pilgrimage must-visit spot: a "heavenly" bookstore where even the living can go — a Dutch church transformed into a stylish bookstore

Excerpted from /Eureka Publishing’s *Bookstore Time*

This is a temple of books visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Sip coffee in the Altar Café while immersing yourself in the joy of reading. The Maastricht branch of Selexyz Bookstore is located within a 13th-century former Christian church of the Dominican Order (Ordo Dominicanorum), and is one of the Netherlands' largest bookstore chains.

 

Maastricht gained fame as the site where the EU Treaty was signed. This city in the southeastern Netherlands, close to the borders of Belgium and Germany, has a long history that dates back to the Celtic era. The church was taken over by French revolutionary forces in the late 18th century and used as a stable, later serving as a fire station, music hall, boxing venue, and bicycle garage. In 2000, the city of Maastricht decided to seek creative ideas from private enterprises to make effective use of the church, which belonged to the municipal government. But there were two conditions: restoring the building, which was designated as a historical structure, and transforming it into a “cultural forum” for gathering citizens.

The company that responded to this project was the long-established Selexyz Bookstore, which had long been looking for a new location in Maastricht and had set its sights on becoming a large bookstore with outstanding architectural design as one of its goals. After signing a contract with the city government, it began large-scale restoration and renovation work in 2001.

The design work was undertaken by the Dutch architecture firm Merkx+Girod. The building has a ground floor area of 750 m², and the architects aimed to create a bright and open interior space of approximately 2,000 m². Although some people wanted to build on the upper floors, the architects insisted on making good use of the church’s vast interior. After multiple negotiations, the right half of the church was designed as a three-story “Book Flat,” while the left half retained the expansive space with its soaring ceilings. The former altar area at the front of the church was turned into a café.

 

During the renovation, care was also taken to preserve this historic building. Therefore, no holes were drilled in the structure; instead, it was fixed to the floor with 22 pillars, allowing it to be completely removed without leaving a trace should the bookstore cease operations. A basement warehouse was also set up to store inventory books. Additionally, the blackened ceiling murals were completely cleaned and restored.

In 2008, the UK’s *The Guardian* listed it as the top choice for the “most beautiful bookstore in the world” and described it as a “bookstore built in heaven.” However, the most fundamental role of this beautiful building is still to serve as a bookstore that is close to local citizens. The store carries books of all genres, with a collection of 25,000 volumes. In addition to general books, there is also an academic book section dedicated to researchers and students of Maastricht University (Universiteit Maastricht), offering a rich and substantial selection. Furthermore, every Sunday, events such as readings, concerts, and exhibitions are held, with nearly 100 events annually. As for the café, the most popular item is the authentic Italian coffee made by professional baristas.

Although this Selexyz Bookstore is located in a small town with a population of only 120,000, it has become a well-known attraction in Maastricht, drawing 800,000 visitors each year, and is the most-visited church building in the Netherlands.

[Selexyz Bookstore in the Netherlands]
Area = 1,265 m². Collection = 100,000 volumes / Established = 2006
Book categories = General, Academic
Business model = Large chain bookstore + café