In Europe Christianity faces steady decline, causing dwindling attendance at
churches. As a result congregations are no longer able to afford the upkeep for their churches, forcing them to end services in these buildings. This caused many grand and historic church buildings to become vacant, and means that many will follow in the near future. Because many of these churches have deep ties to the local community and historically served a very public role, fitting new functions are needed to keep these building sustainable and part of their community. To find an answer to this question, specifically relating to 19th century neogothic churches of the catholic counter reform, the following paper will research the basic principles of (Neo)Gothicism and the methods and process behind the creation of such a church and its furnishings. The aim of the research is to establish the relation between the interior, the symbols and the architecture itself to understand how they together conveyed the story of Christianity, and how this could possibly be adapted for a use after Christianity or how this can be used to establish a fitting new purpose for these churches. As part of a graduation project this research will put the main focus on the RK Barbarakerk, a church going vacant in Culemborg in the Netherlands. By diving in to the construction history and theory of the time the main principles of Gothicism will be established and an understanding of the relation between the architecture, furnishings and symbols will be gained. Then by observing the features of the Barbarakerk, these principles can be contextualized. Finally by comparing existing converted churches to see how they reacted to existing history, symbolism and iconography, illustrate their methods of storytelling through architecture. Finally showing the integral narrative nature of the (Neo)Gothic architecture being able to indicate their own most fitting future.