St. Peter's Church Denderwindeke

The stately St. Peter's Church is more than likely located on the site of the first church that ever stood here. With this we go back in time to the moment that Denderwindeke was Christianized, probably just like neighboring Meerbeke, by Saint Amandus at the end of the 7th^century. After the parish was donated to the Ghent St. Peter's Abbey in 896, it was taken over in 1492 by the Norbertine Abbey of Vicoigne, which in turn transferred it to the Norbertines of Ninove from 1735.

The second church on this site, the original Gothic church from the 15th^century, had good and bad times over the centuries and was frequently patched up. In 1731, however, the dean speaks of a "grote but dirty church with a tower on the verge of collapse", but it was not until 1750 that the church was restored and it was not until two years later that a bluestone floor was added. In any case, she was destroyed by fire in 1838. The present neoclassical church was built from 1838 and consecrated in 1842; The tower was completed in 1860. Traces of that former Gothic church can still easily be found in the current building, so the late Gothic high choir was integrated. The previous church had become far too small to accommodate all the faithful, who were forced to follow the worship services from the street. The church we see now consists of a partly built-in west tower with needle spire, a three-aisled nave and a choir flanked by two sacristies of more recent date. The beautiful and rich interior includes a wooden triptych from 1590 with the crucifixion of Christ, some monumental valuable paintings by masters from the 16th^and 17th century Flemish School and beautiful stained glass windows that were installed at the beginning of the^{20th century.}

Around the church you will find the six Stations of Our Lady of Seven Woes presented in the form of niche chapels with colored terracotta reliefs. As the seventh station, the bas-relief above the entrance to the church functions, representing the entombment of Christ. The old cemetery with weathered tombstones and monuments exudes a unique atmosphere. "Ad vitam aeternam"..."into eternity".

Toerisme Ninove