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In the Late Gothic period the wealthy towns and cities in the Netherlands placed great value on high church towers, which became virtual skyscrapers, the architectural symbols of the towns and their citizens. Façades with two towers tend to be the exception in the Netherlands.
The character of the octagonal body of tower was established by Utrecht's Dom Church (Domkerk). The tower of the Grote Kerk (Large Church) or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady) in Breda is also indebted to the Utrecht model. Like the Utrecht tower - and almost all other Netherlands towers - it does not have the pierced pyramidal spire that crowns the great towers of German Gothic churches. (The onion-shaped wooden dome was placed on the top in the 18th century.)
The photo shows a view from southeast.
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