Saint Martin's Church

The St. Martin's Church is a church located in the center of Aalst. Until the arrival of the St. Joseph's Church, it was the only parish church in the city. The church was built in late Brabantine Gothic and is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, St. Martin. The St. Martin's Church is the successor of a former, modest, and too small church. In the second half of the 15th century, plans were made to build a new church on the Hopmarkt, but eventually, the church was built here. The church was constructed in 4 different phases. In the first phase, the radiating chapels and the choir were built. In the 16th century, phase 2 began, during which the transept was constructed. After the religious turmoil, including the Iconoclasm, phase 3 commenced. This involved restoring the damage incurred and completing the northern transept. In the 17th century, a brick west facade was constructed in the fourth phase. For 180 years, work continued on the church, which never achieved its desired size. In 1655, there was even the idea of building a Gothic tower on the west side, which would become the tallest church tower in the country. Financial troubles meant that the desired plans were never completed or started. On March 29, 1947, a fire destroyed part of the church, after which significant restoration work took place. Since 2003, the church has been undergoing a thorough restoration that is expected to last until 2027.

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