Saint Amandus Parish Church

Parish church of Saint Amandus. East-oriented church situated on the north side of the village square, formerly located within a walled cemetery, surrounded by a lawn since 1973. Built to replace the old Saint Laurentius chapel (year of establishment unknown), restored and consecrated around 1350. In 1578, after the demolition of the Saint Amandus chapel serving as a parish church in the Saint Anna hospital at the Spitaalpoort, the Saint Laurentius chapel was designated as the replacement parish church of Oostakker. Since then, it has been placed under the patronage of Saint Amandus. After its temporary use for Calvinist worship, it was consecrated and restored again (1602). Several major renovation and expansion works followed: around 1615, the sacristy in 1623, and further works in 1724. The tower was renewed in 1717. The choir was moved further eastward in 1816. Side aisles and sacristy from 1823. Expansion works in 1866 designed by architect E. Van Hoecke-Peeters. Restoration works to the interior followed in 1885-1886. Once again, mention is made of significant restoration works in 1890, designed by architect H. Geirnaert. After the bombing in 1917, only the tower remained standing. Subsequently, the church was reconstructed (with the exception of the preserved tower) in 1924-25, designed by architect A. Poppe, who based his work on the discovered foundations. After the shelling in 1940, the vaults and the roof needed to be renewed, as well as parts of the masonry, including the southwestern side with the sacristy. The war-undamaged tower was restored in 1966 under the direction of architect A. Bracke.
Current three-nave pseudo-basilica church with a western tower. The nave and side aisles consist of seven bays with an integrated or pseudo-transept at the height of the fifth bay. The choir, which is closed on three sides, is flanked by the sacristy and storage room. Anchored brick construction with natural stone window and door frames featuring Baroque characteristics, under a slate gabled roof. Remains of the old Saint Laurentius chapel are not immediately visible; nonetheless, there are mentions of traces of the original entrance, embedded in the western tower renovated in 1717.
Square tower body with an octagonal tapering at the height of the roof with bell openings.

Source: https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/26682

Rudy Wuyts