Church of Our Lady

Thanks to the flourishing cloth trade, Poperinge grew into an important trading center and 1 church was not enough. In 1290 the construction of the St. John's Church and Our Lady Church was started, which was finished in 1301, but suffered serious destruction during the iconoclasm.
The Gothic church has a pointed tower of 70 m high and is built in sea style with 3 naves, the same height and with gable roof.

The roccoco choir gates in the main altar are decorated with all kinds of musical instruments and the 2 readers come from the inn "Groot St.-Jorishof", the former town hall that was demolished in 1911. They are 2 stair ballusters : 1 with eagle and coat of arms of the St. Bertinus bee and 1 with a lion and the coat of arms of the last abbot of the abbey.
The church contains a number of curious paintings such as "Foundation of the Order of the Trinitarians" by a pupil of Rubens (G.Seghers, 1600) and "Dominicus receives the rosary of Mary" (Beeckmans, 1716).

Vl. Toeristisch bezienswaardigheden