Jules Bilmeyer

Julius Petrus Bilmeyer (Berchem, 4 November 1850 – Berchem, 13 June 1920) was a Flemish architect and professor at the Antwerp Academy.

Bilmeyer enrolled in the architecture courses at the Antwerp Academy from 1865 to 1870. He worked simultaneously at the architecture office of the Baeckelmans brothers: Frans Clemens Baeckelmans (1827–1896) and Jan Lodewijk Baeckelmans (1835–1871).

Career

In 1901, Jules Bilmeyer became professor of architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, succeeding Joseph Van Riel. In collaboration with this architect, he built the Convent and Basilica of the Sacred Heart (inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris) in the Merodelei in Berchem. The Church of Our Lady of Grace on Frankrijklei was also a product of this collaboration. This was followed by the church of St Anthony on Paardenmarkt in Antwerp (based on the plans of the late architect Jan-Lodewijk Baeckelmans), the church of St James in the Carloo district of Uccle (inspired by the cathedral in Aachen), the church of St Catherine on Kiel, the church of St Catherine on Antonius van Paduakerk at the statie in Essen, the village church of Wuustwezel, the St.-Luciakerk in Oosterlo, the St.-Niklaaskerk in Morkhoven and quite a few monasteries. One of these is the (former) Franciscan convent in Antwerp, protected by Ministerial Decree of 15 April 2009.

Also in collaboration with architect Van Riel, the execution phase of the Stuyvenberg Hospital in Antwerp was carried out in 1884 according to Frans Baeckelmans' competition design dated 1872-73. Baeckelmans failed to make further adjustments to the competition design in 1876 and Bilmeyer and Van Riel were called upon to adjust the design and bring the job to a successful conclusion. So they did and the entire site execution came under their care. The third Calvariënberg hospital in Maastricht followed in 1891. Both were pavilion hospitals, which at the time was an innovative concept for a hospital. Of the Maastricht hospital, only the Elisabeth House has survived.

St. James' church at Uccle. St. Willibrordus Church at Berchem (Antwerp), built by Jules Bilmeyer and Joseph Van Riel.

List of built churches, monasteries and schools :

Convent and Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the Merodelei in Berchem
Church of Our Lady of Grace at Frankrijklei 89 in Antwerp
Renovations to the school buildings Jesuit College on Frankrijklei 91 in Antwerp
Pensionate Sacré-Coeur in the Lamorinièrestraat in Antwerp. Present Secondary Yavne school.
Church of St. Anthony on the Paardenmarkt in Antwerp (according to the plans of Jan-Lodewijk Baeckelmans).
Convent of the grauwzusters - Third phase 1909, Korte Winkelstraat 28a, Antwerp
Church of St. James in the Carloo district, Uccle (inspired by the Aachen Cathedral)
Saint Joseph's Parish Church, Antwerp (construction of a side portal)
Saint Catherine (adaptation works) on the Kiel in Antwerp
St. Anthony of Padua church at Sint-Antoniusplein in Essen
St. Lucia's church in Oosterlo near Geel
Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (Wuustwezel) in Wuustwezel
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Hallaar) church in Hallaar. Extension and repair works in 1898.
St. Nicholas church in Morkhoven.
Custodial school Sint Maria at Paardenmarkt 111 in Antwerp (dd 1905-1910)

Patronage of the Saint-Amandus parish Vliegenstraat 32 in Antwerp
Restoration of the church of Eppegem
Franciscan convent in Antwerp
Repairs to the church of St. Charles Borromeo in Antwerp
Design of the pulpit for the Sint-Catharina church 's-Gravenwezel Sint-Catharina church ('s-Gravenwezel)

Bilmeyer and Van Riel also built a whole series of houses in Antwerp, such as:

two houses nos. 37-39 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (Zurenborg district)(dd. 1884)
the house Keulemans Verdussenstraat 37 (dd. 1885)
three houses nrs. 16-18-20 in the Wolfstraat in Zurenborg (dd. 1889)
two houses nrs. 20-22 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (district Zurenborg) (dd. 1889)
three houses in the Kleine Hondstraat(corner Grote Hondstraat nrs 63-65) in Zurenborg (dd. 1890)
a wide house in the Old Stock Exchange on nr 44 (dd 1890)
two houses nos. 24-26 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (district Zurenborg)(dd. 1890)
Three houses and 2(or3)stores in the Dambruggestraat nrs 91-93-95-97 (corner Lange Beeldekensstraat) (dd. 1890)
house of painter Frans Snyders in the Keizerstraat 8 (1891)
a dwelling group of 10 houses, Dolfijnstraat 46-64 at Zurenborg (dd. 1892)
two houses nos. 45-47 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (district of Zurenborg)(dd. 1893)

three houses and 2(or3)stores in Dambruggestraat nrs 91-93-95-97 (corner Lange Beeldekensstraat) (dd. 1890)
house of painter Frans Snyders in the Keizerstraat 8 (1891)
a dwelling group of 10 houses, Dolfijnstraat 46-64 at Zurenborg (dd. 1892)
two houses nos. 45-47 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (district of Zurenborg)(dd. 1893)
two houses in the St.-Hubertusstraat 84-86 in Berchem (dd. 1894)
a number of houses nos. 49-51-53 in the Transvaalstraat in Berchem (district Zurenborg)(dd. 1895)
a house in the Bouwmeestersstraat (dd. 1896)
a house on the Meir (nr. 79) with the name 'Het Wapen van Spanje' (with statue by J.F. Deckers) (dd.1897)
the Carolus-Magnus complex in the Cogels-Osylei in Berchem (Zurenborg district) (dd.1997)
a house in the Provinciestraat 149 (dd. 1898)
a house in Hopland 34-36 (dd. 1902). Now bookstore and wine bar Luddites (https://www.luddites.be)
a house in St. Vincentiusstraat 6 in Antwerp (dd. 1902)
five houses in Lange Lozana Street 135-141, built in 2 phases(dd. 1902 and 1903)
four linked houses in the Rijnpoortvest 12-18 (design dd. 1904) see also mention VIOE id 5801
a house in the St. Gummarusstraat 37 in Antwerp (dd. 1906) for Lambrechts
corner house Schoenmarkt 10 & Schrijnwerkersstraat (dd. 1906)
a house in the Volksstraat 60 (dd. 1907)
a house in Nachtegaalstraat 37 (dd. 1907)
four coupled houses in Rijnpoortvest 12-18 (design dd. 1904) see also entry VIOE id 5801
a house in the St. Gummarusstraat 37 in Antwerp (dd. 1906) for Lambrechts
corner house Schoenmarkt 10 & Schrijnwerkersstraat (dd. 1906)
a house in the Volksstraat 60 (dd. 1907)
a house in Nachtegaalstraat 37 (dd. 1907)
fourteen houses in the Tabakvest, nos. 2-28, at Antwerp (dd. 1908)
St Marcus and St Lucas Burgerhuis on Lijnwaadmarkt 20, at Antwerp (dd. 1913)

Other designs/realizations by Jules Bilmeyer in collaboration with Van Riel are:

the gate frame at the residence of Nicolaas Rockox jr. in Keizerstraat, commissioned by antique dealer Grüter
gate in neo-Flemish renaissance style in the Eikenstraat 20 in Antwerp (dd.1897)
The neo-Gothic St. Willibrordus room in the Vredestraat in Berchem
Restoration works at the Hof van Rameyen in Berlaar (dd.1906)
The completion of the St. Amandus church (Antwerp) (according to the plans of Jan-Lodewijk Baeckelmans)
Stack house Stokerij de Fortuin, Brouwersvliet 29 in Antwerp.
Renovation works for store building, Huidevetterstraat 18 in Antwerp.
Renovation works pharmacy (now San Remo), Keyserlei 35 in Antwerp.

Interior

As architect of the Antwerp Cathedral, under his direction the neo-Gothic stalls, the high hall and the tympanum above the main entrance on the Handschoenmarkt side were executed, apart from other conservation works.

The church of Eppegem was restored by architect Jules Bilmeyer, but destroyed by fire and then rebuilt by son Edouard Bilmeyer (Antwerp, September 19, 1883 - Antwerp, April 17, 1948). The castle of the Cock de Rameyen in Gestel was also restored by Jules Bilmeyer. Furthermore, sketches by Bilmeyer have been found in the archive of Jan Stuyt regarding the realization of the design for the Cenacle Church in Nijmegen.

Early in 1895, Bilmeyer was a corresponding member of the Royal Commission of Landscapes and Monuments to become an effective member of this Commission in the middle of 1918. The architects' office at the time was located at Appelmansstraat 21-23 in Antwerp. Possibly they initially worked from a residence located in the Kardinaal Mercierlei in Berchem. As an employee at Bilmeyer and Van Riel, arch. Emile Thielens is mentioned. As students at the Academy, Bilmeyer mentored André Fivez, Jos Smolderen and Flor Van Reeth, among others.

The extant oeuvre is catalogued in the inventory of architectural heritage. This was drawn up by the Flemish Institute for Immovable Heritage.

External links

Inventory Hystorical Buildings

External links

Media related to Jules Bilmeyer at Wikimedia Commons