By MOOK Scenic Editor Team (compiled and reported)
Located in the historic old town of Maastricht, a city with deep roots in Dutch history, stands a grand and ancient cathedral. Since its construction in the 13th century, it has witnessed numerous historical events and served various purposes, only to be quietly forgotten for nearly a century. It wasn’t until 1910 that the space began to be used for various exhibitions, markets, and even boxing matches. In 2004, the Maastricht municipal government and the Dutch bookseller group BGN (Selexyz) collaborated to transform the cathedral into a large-scale bookstore for the first time.
Historic church (Image source / Boekhandel Dominicanen)
Majestic ancient cathedral (Image source / Boekhandel Dominicanen)
In November 2006, the church was officially reborn as the world-renowned Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore, also known as the “Bookstore Closest to Heaven.” In 2014, it was ranked among the top ten most beautiful bookstores in the world by CNN in the United States.
Gothic-style cathedral (Image source / Boekhandel Dominicanen)
Tailor-designed to fit the church’s vast interior space (Image source / Boekhandel Dominicanen)
Lavish and sacred rest area (Image source / Boekhandel Dominicanen)
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