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a city located in Walloon Brabant, the French-speaking part of Belgium, 30 km south of Brussels and 35 km north-east of Mons. In the Middle Ages Nivelles It was a fortified town surrounded by a massive rampart, about 2.5 m wide, in front of which there was a deep, partially flooded moat. Entry to the city was only possible through one of the seven fortified gates, which were guarded by knights and closed at night.
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The city fortifications included nine towers, each with narrow slits that allowed guards to control the approach to the city. In the 19th century, the defensive ramparts were dismantled when they became an obstacle to the city's expansion. Today, only a few traces of the city's fortifications remain, including the Simone Tower, also known as the Devil's Tower.
Currently, the city has a population of approximately 24,000. Nivelles is one of several interesting towns in the area. It is also worth visiting Waterloo, the site of Napoleon Bonaparte's spectacular defeat, and Villers-la-Ville, with the monumental ruins of a Cistercian abbey. What attracts crowds of tourists to Nivelles is undoubtedly the beautiful collegiate church of St. Gertrude.
Currently, the city has a population of approximately 24,000. Nivelles is one of several interesting towns in the area. It is also worth visiting Waterloo, the site of Napoleon Bonaparte's spectacular defeat, and Villers-la-Ville, with the monumental ruins of a Cistercian abbey. What attracts crowds of tourists to Nivelles is undoubtedly the beautiful collegiate church of St. Gertrude.
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After her death in 659, Gertrude was declared a saint. Over the centuries, her cult grew and the number of pilgrims wanting to visit Nivelles, the place where she lived, increased. Therefore, there was a need to build a larger church that could accommodate all the faithful. The temple was built in the early Ottonian-Romanesque style. In 1046 In 1445, the Bishop of Liege, Wazon, consecrated the church in the presence of Emperor Henry III. Saint was chosen as its patron saint. Gertrude.
This huge collegiate church has two transepts and two choirs (chancels), which was typical of churches built at that time. The eastern choir rises above the crypt. The massive front of the building was built in the 12th century. It has an apse, two chapels on the second floor, a staircase with 132 steps, a high room called the Imperial Room, an octagonal tower (rebuilt in the Romanesque style on the site of a Gothic tower destroyed in 1940), on which there is a bell tower with 49 bells.
This huge collegiate church has two transepts and two choirs (chancels), which was typical of churches built at that time. The eastern choir rises above the crypt. The massive front of the building was built in the 12th century. It has an apse, two chapels on the second floor, a staircase with 132 steps, a high room called the Imperial Room, an octagonal tower (rebuilt in the Romanesque style on the site of a Gothic tower destroyed in 1940), on which there is a bell tower with 49 bells.
The collegiate church also has two corner towers. In the south tower there is a 2.08 m high statue of the bell-ringer Jean de Nivelles (Jacquemart), who has been striking the hour with a hammer since 1400. After being damaged during World War II, the statue was restored in 1984. The southern gable of the eastern transept is known as St. Peter was built in the 12th century. The central nave is 102 meters long, making it one of the longest in the world. Under the eastern choir there is one of the largest crypts in the region (22 m x 10.4 m). It was built around 1100. It has three naves of equal height, a vault and an apse at the end of the main nave.
The archaeological site (7th-10th centuries) discovered during the renovation of the collegiate church, which was ruined as a result of warfare, is unique in Belgium. It shows the foundations and remains of five previous churches. From the first Merovingian sanctuary (650), with the burial place of St. Gertrude and her parents, until the last Carolingian basilica from the 10th century. Excavations were carried out from 1941 to 1952.
The archaeological site (7th-10th centuries) discovered during the renovation of the collegiate church, which was ruined as a result of warfare, is unique in Belgium. It shows the foundations and remains of five previous churches. From the first Merovingian sanctuary (650), with the burial place of St. Gertrude and her parents, until the last Carolingian basilica from the 10th century. Excavations were carried out from 1941 to 1952.
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Inside the collegiate church, you can admire five sculptures by the 18th-century artist Laurent Delvaux, including the rich oak and marble pulpit, an example of the sculptor's mastery, who, by juxtaposing contrasting white marble and varnished wood, harmoniously combined three different styles: Baroque, Rococo and Classicism. The interior porch protecting the entrance on the south side is also the work of Delvaux. It was made of varnished oak wood, decorated with gilding and topped with statues representing the virtues of courage and prudence.
Laurent Devlaux was one of the most outstanding sculptors of his time. His mastery of combining different styles led him to become the court sculptor of Charles of Lorraine.
The next works by Devlaux are located in the west wing in the place where the construction of the church began in the 11th century . We can admire two sculptures by this artist here. The first shows the figure of Saint. Gertrude, patron saint of the collegiate church. Is she is shown here in a triumphant manner, as if in contrast to her true nature, which was calm and humble. The second statue personifies the Holy Father. Gertrude, Pepin the Elder. The beautiful alabaster and marble altar dating from 1623 is the work of the sculptor Jan Thonon from Dinant. It consists of ten alabaster bas-reliefs, including: Adoration of the Shepherds and legendary episodes from the life of Saint Gertrude . Originally, this altar also included two statues: Saint Gertrude and Saint Peter , which are currently exhibited in the Imperial Room. The altar is located in a Baroque setting in the eastern part of the church, in the place where the organ once stood.
Laurent Devlaux was one of the most outstanding sculptors of his time. His mastery of combining different styles led him to become the court sculptor of Charles of Lorraine.
The next works by Devlaux are located in the west wing in the place where the construction of the church began in the 11th century . We can admire two sculptures by this artist here. The first shows the figure of Saint. Gertrude, patron saint of the collegiate church. Is she is shown here in a triumphant manner, as if in contrast to her true nature, which was calm and humble. The second statue personifies the Holy Father. Gertrude, Pepin the Elder. The beautiful alabaster and marble altar dating from 1623 is the work of the sculptor Jan Thonon from Dinant. It consists of ten alabaster bas-reliefs, including: Adoration of the Shepherds and legendary episodes from the life of Saint Gertrude . Originally, this altar also included two statues: Saint Gertrude and Saint Peter , which are currently exhibited in the Imperial Room. The altar is located in a Baroque setting in the eastern part of the church, in the place where the organ once stood.
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Statue of the Blessed Virgin This unique sculpture, depicting the figure of the young Virgin Mary, is the work of a sculptor active in the 15th century, who was a member of Jan Borman's entourage. Here we can see the figure of the Virgin Mary, depicted with her head uncovered and her hands folded. In one of the chapels, in the eastern part of the collegiate church, there is a beautiful reliquary made of steel, decorated with silver and bronze. It consists of 36 solid silver panels. It contains the relics of Saint. Gertrude. This modern reliquary was created in 1982 by the artist Felix Roulin. The original Gothic reliquary burned down in the fire of May 14, 1940. year. Next to the sculptures of Saint Gertrude and her father Pepin the Elder, in the western part of the church there is a carriage used, during the annual procession, to carry the reliquary with the remains of Saint. Gertrude.
Tour st. Gertrude, as this procession is called, has been taking place since the 13th century on the last Sunday of September or the first Sunday of October, to commemorate Saint Gertrude. The relics with the remains of the saint are transported in a reliquary placed on a 15th-century cart. The procession follows in the footsteps of Saint. Gertrude, i.e. the outskirts of the city, where the poorest people lived at that time.
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The procession route is 14 kilometers long. Where there is no marked road, the procession passes through the fields. In the afternoon, when the reliquary is brought back into the church, a festival takes place in the main square in front of the temple, with a fair and costumed people on stilts.
Part of the tour can only be visited with a guide
Next to the collegiate church there is a monastery of canons, built in the 13th century. Together with the collegiate church, it is the only remains of the abbey founded in the 7th century. This place can only be visited with a guide. In the monastery courtyard, ancient tombstones and bells from the bell tower destroyed in 1940 are on display.
Only with a guide will we also visit the archaeological excavations located in the basement of the collegiate church, the crypt dating back to the 11th century, and the Imperial Room located 20 meters above the collegiate courtyard. It occupies the entire internal space (25 mx 8 m) of the west wing (the extended western part of the basilica, placed transversely to the nave, characteristic of pre-Romanesque architecture) at this level.
This room contains, among other things, a copy of a 13th-century reliquary used to carry the relics of St. Gertrude (the original burned down in 1940) and 15th-century panels that once decorated the chariot of St. Gertrude.
Only with a guide will we also visit the archaeological excavations located in the basement of the collegiate church, the crypt dating back to the 11th century, and the Imperial Room located 20 meters above the collegiate courtyard. It occupies the entire internal space (25 mx 8 m) of the west wing (the extended western part of the basilica, placed transversely to the nave, characteristic of pre-Romanesque architecture) at this level.
This room contains, among other things, a copy of a 13th-century reliquary used to carry the relics of St. Gertrude (the original burned down in 1940) and 15th-century panels that once decorated the chariot of St. Gertrude.
Nivelles Market Square
Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude is surrounded by a large market square. We can find many interesting objects there. Next to the Jean de Nivelles tower is the fountain du Perron (fountain Stoop) built in 1523 by Adrienne de Moerbeke. Initially the fountain It was topped with a statue of Archduke Albert (1618), but it was later replaced with a gilded sculpture of the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Nivelles. Walking along the collegiate church, it is worth paying attention to the top of the transept, known as Pigeon St. Pierre, dating back to the 13th century. On Place Lambert Schiffelers there is a beautiful building, the Palais de Justice (courthouse), built in the neo-Gothic style.
You can relax in the market square in one of the many restaurants or continue sightseeing. Walking along Rue de Charleroi, on the left side, we can see a series of small 17th-century houses. There are further historic tenement houses on Rue St. Georges and Rue des Conceptionnistes. Those with numbers 6, 8 and 10 date from the 17th century, number 15 is from the 14th/15th century, and number 18 was built, in the Louis XV style, in the 17th century.
The Museum of Archaeology, Art and History is located on Rue des Bruxelles. It is situated in an 18th-century building on a quiet street. Here you will find, among other things, a rich 18th-century collection of paintings by Frédéric Dumesnil, antique furniture, and very rare terracottas made by Lourent Delvaux as models for his monumental works. In addition, tapestries, paintings, musical instruments, coins, documents and historical objects discovered near Nivelles are exhibited here.
You can relax in the market square in one of the many restaurants or continue sightseeing. Walking along Rue de Charleroi, on the left side, we can see a series of small 17th-century houses. There are further historic tenement houses on Rue St. Georges and Rue des Conceptionnistes. Those with numbers 6, 8 and 10 date from the 17th century, number 15 is from the 14th/15th century, and number 18 was built, in the Louis XV style, in the 17th century.
The Museum of Archaeology, Art and History is located on Rue des Bruxelles. It is situated in an 18th-century building on a quiet street. Here you will find, among other things, a rich 18th-century collection of paintings by Frédéric Dumesnil, antique furniture, and very rare terracottas made by Lourent Delvaux as models for his monumental works. In addition, tapestries, paintings, musical instruments, coins, documents and historical objects discovered near Nivelles are exhibited here.
