Saint Laurence Church

Oriented church with a central layout built between 1932 and 1941 designed by J. Huygh in art deco style inspired by Byzantine architecture. Built in relation to the altar and the Holy Sacrifice. Parish established in 1659, church at the current Fransenplaats erected in 1660-61. Enlarged in 1683 and 1701. Heavily damaged in 1746-47 and rebuilt in 1770-77 according to the design of Ing. Majoor C.F. Detraux. Demolished in 1814 on the order of General Carnot for strategic reasons. New church erected in 1824-26 at the current location according to the design of P. Bourla; enlarged with a western transept and west façade with towers between 1892 and 1894 according to the design of J.A. Van der Gucht. Project by J. Huygh awarded in the competition for the construction of the current church. First tender (due to lack of funds without a tower and outbuildings) on May 11, 1932. Work commenced in August 1932, church consecration on August 9, 1934, provisional acceptance on April 3, 1935. Second section (tower, gatehouse on Van Schoonbekestraat, service rooms next to the choir, connection to the rectory, street enclosure, and atrium on Markgravelei) tendered on January 25, 1939, completed in July 1941, acceptance on August 22, 1941. Damaged during World War II, restored in 1947. Completion works (interior plastering, copper roofing) executed under the direction of J. Smolderen in 1948-49. Central layout with an almost rectangular floor plan. Narrow narthex, rectangular nave with three-sided closures to the north and south. Main choir with one bay and three-sided closure, narrow choir ambulatory; rectangular side chapels detailed. Square tower at the southwest side, square former baptistery with rectangular annex (now weekly chapel) at the northwest side, with a rectangular atrium in between. On the south side, the choir; rectangular sacristy (Markgravelei number 93); on the north side, rectangular former storage room partly connected by a covered passage to Van Schoonbekestraat. On Markgravelei, a Sacred Heart statue by B. Gerrits, inaugurated in 1927. Brick building with a central dome (copper). Four narrow, flanking wings with heavy buttresses, under gabled roofs (copper). In between, rectangular sections under flat roofs. Choir with three-sided projection, crowning half dome (copper). North and south wings with three-sided, flat-roofed bay windows provided with pilasters. Pointed arch windows. Square corner tower, crowning with clock under pseudo-gable ends, corners with angel sculptures by A. Damen, simple lantern with dome roof (copper); central narrow pointed arch window sections, round arch doors in solid framing. Access from Van Schoonbekestraat with rectangular atrium enclosed by a brick wall, round-arched passageways, corner with statue of Saint Lawrence by L. Vleeschouwers. Portal with four round arch doors, under round-arched canopies supported by columns with bell capital. Arch field above two central doors with mosaic depicting the Good Shepherd by J. Collette. The whole crowned with projecting pseudo-gable. Access from Markgravelei to a rectangular flat-roofed porch with a staircase, round arch doors in a front framing with pseudo-gable. Outbuildings on Van Schoonbekestraat and Markgravelei number 93: flat-roofed rectangular brick buildings with lancet arch windows, round arch doors in framing with pseudo-gable. Plastered and light brown painted interior. Eight coupled columns clad in imitation marble and with white stone bell capitals on which rectangular solid bas-reliefs with allegorical depictions of the four evangelists by R. Sauter support the central dome with pendentives, pointed arch vaults. Flanking narrow barrel vaults. Central space marked by a surrounding circular gallery with parapets on columns clad in imitation marble and with white stone bell capitals. Choir with narrow choir ambulatory, lancet arch pointed arches on plastered columns with bell capitals, dome vault with pointed arch caps; side chapels with dome vault. Beige and white painted weekly chapel (former baptistery) with dome vault on pendentives, flanked by narrow barrel vaults, supported by columns clad in imitation marble with white stone bell capitals. Furnishings. Marble main altar with cross and dome-shaped copper baldachin, on oval marble platform with pulpits, communion rail, and copper parapet by L. Bressers and Al.H. Haan, from around 1934. Confessionals, marble and metal, from around 1934(?). Organ by Fa.B. Pels & Son from 1935. Mosaics of Our Lady and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in side chapels designed by G. De Witte. Stations of the Cross, mosaic, by J. Collette based on designs by E. Yoors, completed in 1956. Stained glass windows designed by O. Calders, F. Slijpen, and J. Collette, among others executed by Flos and J. Verleye, from 1949-61.

Onroerend Erfgoed Vlaanderen