Sint-Trudo

The history of the Giant of the Campine starts in the year 950 with a humble wooden church. In the 11th century, a stone building arose, traces of which can still be seen in the east wall of the present church. In 1392, the construction of the highest tower of the Limburg Campine was mentioned. The heavy fortified tower was part of the town ramparts. In 1422 the transept was built according to an inscription in the Paradise gate in the south wall.
The tower was a safe haven for the population in times of war. However, on May 13th 1483, 1500 Campine citizens were killed in and around the tower during the fight between G. Van der Marck and Jan van Hornes. In 1572, following arson by Austrian troops, the gothic church slowly fell into neglect.
After that, mutinous Spanish soldiers set the church on fire in 1599, followed by heavy damage in 1654 through the hands of troops from Lorraine. Traces of the fire are still visible as red scorched marl stones in the east wall.
Repairs were executed, but on July 21st 1825 there was a 'midge fire'. Inhabitants of Peer mistook a dense swarm of midges for smoke and started a full scale extinguishing action. Since then, the inhabitants of Peer are called 'midge extinguishers'.
From 1840 to 1905 the extension in neo-gothic style was realised. n.
 

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