Saint Martin

Spacious, partly Romanesque, partly Gothic, partly neo-Gothic pseudo-basilica, in front of which extends the market square. The 11th-12th century three-aisled Romanesque cruciform church made of Tournai limestone was fitted with an eight-sided crossing tower made of Ledic sandstone, which was raised by one storey in the first half of the 13th century. In the course of the 15th century, or even a little later, the Romanesque church was demolished and replaced by a Gothic one, around the preserved crossing. In 1652-53 the vault and roof of the central nave were renewed by Adriaen Colaes to a design by master mason Godefroid from Oudenaarde, and François Marishal raised all the windows. In 1659 the triumphal arch was raised to the chancel. The other arches and those of the lower church followed in 1752-53, under the direction of engineer de Mayer. Construction of the south sacristy in 1754 to a design by master builder Bernardus de Wilde. In 1786 a marble floor was laid in the choir, which came from the former Wilhelmite monastery. Addition of a fourth and fifth aisle in 1839-40 to a design by architect Johan Beeckman (Dendermonde). New floor in the lower church: 1862, designed by architect Beck (Antwerp). Finally, in 1888, a new façade was built to a design by architect Jules Goethals (Aalst).

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