The Saint Hadelin

The Saint-Hadelinkerk of Celles is a former collegiate church in Romanesque style, built in the 11th century. It stands on the site where Saint Hadelin had retreated at the end of the 7th century. The church is the heir of a monastic foundation that from the 10th century housed a college of canons and later became a pilgrimage site. The building is one of the first witnesses of religious Romanesque architecture. It was extensively restored in 1590 (especially the front building), in the 19th century, and in the 20th century. The church consists of superimposed, outlined volumes. The façade consists of a front building, flanked by two semi-circular stair towers. Above it rises a western tower with four levels. Atop the tower is an octagonal spire, surrounded by four small spires. The church is accessed through two lateral entrances, located in the first bay of the northern and southern aisles. The gutter walls and those of the aisles and choir are characterized by a series of blind arches, which are typical of the Romanesque style. The nave and the aisles stretch longitudinally over five bays. The low transept barely protrudes. The northern arm houses a neoromanesque chapel from 1858. The crossing is bordered by an arch that serves as a partition. The choir ends with a half-circular apse in cul-de-four with two apse chapels. The church also has two crypts. One, the western, is located under the tower and the other, the eastern, under the choir. The half-underground eastern crypt consists of nine bays with ribbed vaults supported by columns and pilasters. Notable are the characteristics of the Romanesque architecture of the Maas type, such as the front building, the solid tower, flat ceilings, the horizontal character of the nave, the simplicity of the interior decoration, and the application of plaster mortar, both inside and outside. Classified on 18-06-1947 Exceptional heritage of Wallonia.

Meekje