Church of St. Catherine |
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is the work of the outstanding architect Józef Poelaert, the creator of the monumental Palace of Justice project. The temple was built on the site of an old church built in the 15th century. The work proceeded at a dizzying pace. Construction began in 1854 and twenty years later, in 1874, the church was consecrated.
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Inside the temple you can admire a 15th-century figurine Black Madonna and Child (standing on the altar, behind glass). During the riots in 1744, Protestants threw the statue into the river. Sleepy. He was recovered and has been surrounded by a special cult ever since. Among the interior furnishings, it is worth paying attention to attention to the historic wooden pulpit and confessional.
The church also houses the tomb of a French priest. Antoine Arnauld (1612-1694), who spent the last 15 years of his life in exile in Brussels. He was a supporter of Cornelius Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, the founder Jansenism, a theological and spiritual movement in the Catholic Church, banned by Pope Innocent X, and then by Clement XI.
The church also houses the tomb of a French priest. Antoine Arnauld (1612-1694), who spent the last 15 years of his life in exile in Brussels. He was a supporter of Cornelius Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, the founder Jansenism, a theological and spiritual movement in the Catholic Church, banned by Pope Innocent X, and then by Clement XI.
The church stands on the site of a former river port. From the 16th century, Brussels was connected to the sea by a canal, which transported the products of craft guilds on barges to markets around the world at that time. In 1870, the river road was filled in, the port was moved northwest of the center, and the current church square was built in place of the salt and grain quays. Tradition this place, despite the already filled-in port basins, still remains alive.
This is where the largest restaurant district is located. Mussels, seafood and fish are served here. The square is closed by a twenty-meter-high fountain-monument, created by the sculptor G. de Vreese. The Anspach Fountain commemorates the great mayor of Brussels, Jules Victor Anspach (1829-1879), who initiated a thorough modernisation of the capital's infrastructure in the 1980s.
This is where the largest restaurant district is located. Mussels, seafood and fish are served here. The square is closed by a twenty-meter-high fountain-monument, created by the sculptor G. de Vreese. The Anspach Fountain commemorates the great mayor of Brussels, Jules Victor Anspach (1829-1879), who initiated a thorough modernisation of the capital's infrastructure in the 1980s.
Church of St. Catherine, photo http://eglisesaintecatherine.be/photos/
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Church of St. Catherine, photo http://eglisesaintecatherine.be/photos/
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A few dozen meters behind the church of St. Catherine is located in Tour Noire. The Black Tower is a fragment of one of the city's first defensive walls, built in the 12th century. It is integrated into the surrounding modern hotel. This combination is a perfect example of the existence in Belgium, and in Brussels in particular, the authorities' disrespectful attitude towards historical and architectural heritage.
Also the church of St. Catherine is an example of this approach. In 2012, the temple was closed and the authorities immediately decided to desacralize it. Plans have emerged to create within the walls of the market church! Ultimately, thanks to the actions of outraged city citizens, priests and local entrepreneurs, the decision was reversed and the church remains an active temple. Unfortunately, of the 110 churches existing in Brussels, about 40 will face such a sad end. The ignorance of the city authorities has gone so far that they allow toilets to be built next to the outer walls of churches. It is also sad that fewer and fewer Belgians see anything inappropriate in this.
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Address:
Place Sainte Catherine 50
1000 Brussels |
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 9:30-20:00
Saturday: 9:30-18:30 Sunday: 9:30-17:30 |
Fare: Free admission
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