Cathedral of the Heath

Sint-Lenaarts prides itself on its monumental St. Leonard's Church, which, given its exceptional beauty, appearance and richness, is also called the 'Cathedral of the Heath'.
It was completed in brick and white sandstone in 1550, by order of Count Antoine de Lalaing and Elisabeth de Culembourg. Previously, there was already a chapel that probably dates from the time of the Crusades and was frequently visited from the 13th century as a place of pilgrimage along the road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. When Brecht was destroyed in 1584 as a result of religious turmoil, the church was spared and from 1589 onwards it served as a safe haven for the local population. However, the church suffered much damage during World War II and was restored in 1946-53.
The church possesses several valuable art treasures. Of great art-historical importance are two stained-glass windows from the Renaissance period (circa 1535): 'Saint Leonard' and the 'Resurrection of Christ'. The church houses numerous statues of saints from the 15th and 16th centuries and 17th-century bluestone tombstones. At the back of the church, under the mural of Saint Michael and the dragon, there is a memorial painting for fallen soldiers.
In St. Leonard's Church there is a beautifully restored tree trunk box from the 14th-15th centuries. It is a piece of furniture of which only about seven have been preserved in Flanders. It is made of one solid piece of native oak wood of 1.93 meters long and weighs more than 100 kilograms. The chest served as a safe or archive case for storing accounts, charters or registers of ships, protected by sixteen wrought iron bands and six locks.
For centuries, the St. Leonard's Procession has been held on Pinkerster Monday. Hundreds of extras depict scenes from the life of Jesus of Nazareth, Our Lady and Saint Leonard.

The church can be visited weekly at fixed times or for groups by appointment. Information about this can be found on the site of 'Open Churches' under 'More information'.

Historische Routes