Saint Martin Church

The origins of the Saint-Martin church likely date back before the year 1000. This church, of considerable dimensions for a mere parish, originally consisted of three naves covered with ceilings and a flat-apsidal choir that has since disappeared. Its archaizing morphology makes it one of the most significant testimonies of pre-Romanesque architecture in our regions. The 13th century saw the enlargement of each of its ends. The west gable is adorned with a massive western tower made of Gobertange stone, which remains unfinished. The spire that surmounts it is dated only from the second half of the 16th century. The second expansion concerns the choir, rebuilt in Gothic style. This is one of the earliest examples of the use of this style in the Brabant countryside. The third wave of transformations dates from the 17th century and follows a disaster that occurred in 1640. The most significant modifications affect the choir and the eastern part of the church, the side naves, as well as various elements. After these major transformations, the church would only see additions to the portal and the creation of a baptistery. From 1953 to 1963, the building was at the heart of a restoration campaign led by architects R. M. Lemaire and R. Vandael. These works will give it its current appearance.
The furnishings include, among other things, the reliquary of Saint Cornelius and ceramics made between 1963 and 1968 by Max Van der Linden.
Ranking (12-5-1946)
Exceptional Heritage of Wallonia

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