St. Lawrence's Church: layers of bacon and fire saints

From the pointed arches of the windows you can see that the architectural style of this church is 'Gothic'. The sturdy west tower dates back to the 14th century and was built of iron sandstone. The choir, which was built in the 15th century, consists of alternating layers of brown iron sandstone from the region and the more prestigious white sand-lime brick brought in from Gobertange.
When in the 19th century the church became too small for the increasing number of parishioners, the provincial architect Van Arenberg enlarged the aisles in 1855. He did this in his typical way by placing the tower between the aisles. Pastor Van Loock was not pleased with this and wrote: 'Of the most beautifulchurch of St. Laureis in Bhetekom, that of Arenberg has made a beautiful camel with the side of the walls two meters out.'
The church is rarely open, but if you get the chance, it's worth taking a moment to admire the Gothic baptismal font (17th century), the 18th-century sumptuous main altar in Louis V style, the Coppin organ from 1770 and the neo-Gothic stained-glass windows of the Grossé workshop in Bruges (1908).
The church is dedicated to the fire saint Saint Lawrence, but has as its second patron Saint Donatus, who was invoked against the calamity of thunder and lightning. Both saints have beautiful side altars, made around 1850 by the well-known sculptor Jozef Geefs (1808-1885).

Jan Rymenams