St.-Agnesbegijnhof Church

The beguinage church, founded shortly after the foundation of the beguinage in 1265, was expanded at the beginning of the 14th century and enlarged again in the 15th century. The construction of the church was started shortly after the foundation of the beguinage in 1265. The oldest parts (west façade and first four bays of the nave) date from the second half of the 13th century and have late Romanesque and early Gothic elements. In the second phase of construction, at the beginning of the 14th century, the choir was built. From the last phase of construction, in the 15th century, date the last four choir traverses and the arches between the south and central aisles of the first four bays. In the same period, the roof was raised and the wooden barrel vault was installed. A first restoration of the building took place from 1934 to 1945. Since 1975, thorough repairs have taken place under the direction of architect P. Van Mechelen. Description The plan describes a three-aisled nave of eight bays, the last four of which (choir side) indent in relation to the first (nave). The choir of two bays with five-sided closure rounds off the whole. Buttresses with two cuts supported all parts. The stand is pseudo-basilical and depending on the phase, different building materials were used, in addition, the first four bays of the nave are higher and have wider aisles. The west façade is for the most part built of quartzite from Overlaar, marl was used for the parties at roof height, as well as for certain architectural details and the central façade top is finished in brick with braids. The façade rests on a plinth with marlstone trim and is supported by perpendicular buttresses with cuts according to the façade height that accentuate the three-tiered façade structure. The central part, with a top façade partly accentuated by lofts, includes a round-arched portal in a profiled, marlstone frame with neg blocks, topped by two pointed arch windows in superposition. The aisles each comprise one pointed arch window. All pointed arches have a marlstone tracery tracery. Over the façade runs a water frame in Gobertange stone, which continues over the front part of the lateral facades. The first part of the nave (west) is built in plastered tuff, on a plinth of quartzite. Simple pointed arch windows are scattered throughout the façade surface. The second part of the nave (east) is built in brick, again on a quartzite plinth and marlstone was used for the buttresses and the water frame. This water frame can be situated higher here than the Gobertange specimen in the front part. In the south façade of the nave is a round arch door with marlstone neg blocks and chamfered neg. In the north façade there is a similar, limestone door. In addition to pointed arch windows, the facades also include two round-arch windows with marlstone tracery. The choir is constructed of quartzite, with a marlstone section under the eaves. In the southern façade there is a marlstone round arch portal, with a 'sculpted' representation of the Ghent Altarpiece on the arch field. Marlstone pointed arch windows rest on a water frame in Gobertange stone. The church is covered with an impressive slate roof structure: central aisle and chancel have gable roofs, the aisles lectern roofs, the first choir travee is accentuated by a bell rider with constricted needle spire. Interior The interior of the church is partially plastered. Tuff was used for the walls of the aisles, the inside of the west façade, as well as for the northern scheibogenarcade. Brick was used for the southern scheibogenarcade and everything else is made of marl. The pointed-arched arches rest on pillars with imposts, and a profiled, pointed-arched triumphal arch separates nave from chancel. The choir walls have pointed arch-shaped lisenes on semi-columns. The central nave is crowned with a painted wooden, barrel vault, the aisles with flat wooden ceilings. Important paintings from the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th centuries were preserved throughout the walls. Scattered here and there, beautiful tombstones from different periods also bear witness to a lively history.

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