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Church of Saint Michael |
documents from the 1105 year testify to the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael, belonging to the parish of Saint Martin Akkerg, under the patronage of Abbot Saint Bavo. In 1120 and 1212 a year it was completely destroyed by fire. The construction of the present late Gothic church probably began in the 1440 year.
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It took place in two stages separated by long break. In 1528 the construction of the nave, aisles and transept was completed. By the year 1566, two levels of the west tower were also ready. Unfortunately, due to the iconoclasts attack, who made many destructions and the theft of works of art from the church, the work was stopped.
In the year 1623 the construction of a new presbytery from the infirmary and radiant chapels (kranskapellen) in the late-gothic style was started again. In the years 1658-1672, work continued on the west tower. The unusual spire of the tower in the Brabant Gothic style, designed in 1662 a year by the architect from Ghent, Lieven Cruyl, has never been realized for financial reasons. The plans were very ambitious, the tower with the spire was supposed to rise to the height of 134 meters. In the year 1825 the unfinished tower was covered with a flat roof.
The sacristy in the north-eastern part was erected in the Baroque style in the years 1650-1651. Inside the church, there is a large contrast between the red brick used to build the walls and vaults and the limestone used to build all supporting elements, such as columns, arches and arched ribs. The church has a rich neogothic interior, including an altar and a pulpit in this style. There are also various eighteenth-century statues: Saint Livinus created by Laurent Delvaux, or the wooden sculpture of Saint Sebastian by Francis Allaert. Noteworthy are also 9 marble sculptures of saints and a copy of the sculpture of Michelangelo Madonna with a child, from the church in Bruges, which was made by Rombout Pauwels.
In the church there are also many Baroque paintings. The most important are: Christ dying on the cross Who painted Anthony van Dyck, Resurrection of Lazarus Otto Veniusa, or images that created Caspar de Crayer, Karel van Mander, Theodoor van Thulden and other great artists of the time. We find here also interesting confessionals from different periods. Magnificent baroque confessional from 1625 was created Francois Cruyt. Sculptures that adorn it are carved by Michael van der Voort. The altar in the chapel of Our Lady of 1813 year, is a project of Louis Roelandt. Neo-Gothic altar with 1860, he created the architect Minard.
St. Nicholas (Sint-Niklaaskerk) is one of the finest examples of Skaldian Gothic. One of the unique elements of this building is that the tower is not located above the main entrance, but at the junction of the nave and transept. This functions as a kind of natural lantern whose light illuminates the transept.
Construction began around 1225 on the site of a former Romanesque church. Construction continued throughout the rest of this century in the Scheldt Gothic style. Typical of this style is the use of the blue stone from Tournai. There was a bell above the vault of the tower. There was also an observation point for city guards guarding the city. The tower fulfilled this function until the bell tower was built. From the very beginning, the church was to be a majestic building. Its size was to testify to the growing wealth of Ghent and its inhabitants.
Construction began around 1225 on the site of a former Romanesque church. Construction continued throughout the rest of this century in the Scheldt Gothic style. Typical of this style is the use of the blue stone from Tournai. There was a bell above the vault of the tower. There was also an observation point for city guards guarding the city. The tower fulfilled this function until the bell tower was built. From the very beginning, the church was to be a majestic building. Its size was to testify to the growing wealth of Ghent and its inhabitants.
The church was built on the old market near Korenmarkt (grain market). He was popular with guilds whose members were active near him. In the 14th and 15th centuries, chapels were built in the church for individual guilds, hence the richness of art in this temple.
In the 16th century, the church of St. Nicholas, like many other places of worship, was affected by the actions of iconoclasts. The Calvinist regime (1578-1584) and the persecution of the Counter-Reformation led to significant damage to the churches. Fortunately, in 1584, after Alexander Farnese was appointed governor of the Netherlands, the persecution stopped.
The entire population of the city was involved in the construction of the church. As the structure was enormous, the construction dragged on for centuries. For this reason, in the church of St. Nicholas, there are several construction phases. The most characteristic and interesting elements of this thirteenth-century temple are arched buttresses and slender early Gothic turrets. Inside the church, note the 19th-century organ that is the work of Aristide Cavaille-Coll. The main altar, the work of the Antwerp sculptor Mattheus Van Beveren, was placed in the church on September 2, 1678. In the altar niche there is a figure of the bishop of St. Nicholas with three children at his feet. On the sides of the figures of angels. The altar painting was painted by N. Liemacker. It presents the calling of St. Nicholas as Bishop of Mira. Painted in the years 1630-1632. In the picture we see St. Nicholas in plain clothes, who recoils in horror when the head of the consistory takes his hand to appoint him Bishop of Mira. |
The pulpit was created by Norbert Sauvage in 1669-1670. Who made the sculpture could not be determined. At the bottom of the pulpit there are sculptures that are symbols of the evangelists (bull-Łukasz, man-Mateusz, lion-Marka, eagle-John). In the corners, naked angels with symbols of the four elements (basket of flowers-earth, fish-water, eagle-air, torch-fire). The soundboard is supported by two angels supposed to symbolize faith and hope. These two cherubs were added in 1845 a year.
The sculptures of the twelve apostles come from the 17th century. You can recognize them using attributes. Two large stained glass windows from the 19th century are the work of Jean-Baptiste Capronnier.
The sculptures of the twelve apostles come from the 17th century. You can recognize them using attributes. Two large stained glass windows from the 19th century are the work of Jean-Baptiste Capronnier.
Address:
Cataloniestraat 1, 9000 Gent |
Opening hours:
tuesday-sunday: 10.00-17.00 monday: 14.00-17.00 |
Ticket price:
Free entrance |
Church of St. Jacob (St. Jackobkerk) has a rich history. In the past, the faithful also called him sint-Jacobs-in-de-meerschen what means St. Jacob in the wetlands. This name came from the wetland zone, in which the first parish church was built in the 1093 year. The choice of the patron was probably caused by the growing interest in pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela.
Church of St. Jacob in Ghent is the oldest church in the Netherlands dedicated to this saint. The oldest material traces indicate the start of the construction of this church in the twelfth century. The vast diversity of architectural elements testifies to the many transformations which was subjected to the church over the centuries. Two Twin Towers is the only remnant of the Romanesque period.
The interior of the church is also very diverse. Let's see here many works of art. Besides paintings Jan Boeckhorst and Michael Coxcie, deserves attention primarily a unique tabernacle, and two funerary monuments dedicated to John Palfijnow. |
Address:
Bij sint-jacobs 1, 9000 gent
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Church of Our Lady of St. Peter (Sint Pietersplein)
Abbey of St. Peter was founded in the 7th century by Amandus, a missionary sent by the king of the Franks to Christianize the inhabitants of this region. Over the centuries, the abbey was looted by the Normans (879 - 880), Iconoclasts in 1566 year, and the Brabant Revolution (1789-1790), and the invasion of the French in 1793 year. The contemporary church began to arise in the 1629 year. Its creator was the architect Pieter Huyssens. It is believed to be one of his greatest achievements, and one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in the northern Netherlands. |
Despite the many thefts that took place during the French Revolution, the church still has some treasures in its possession. Such are undoubtedly the paintings painted by Jan Janssens and Gaspar de Craeyer, organs created by Pierre van Peteghem, or some unique, miraculous paintings depicting Our Lady ter River.
Address:
Sint-Pietersplein, Gent 9000
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Opening hours:
https://visit.gent.be/en/see-do/our-lady-st-peters-church
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Ticket price:
Admission free
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