St. Leonard's Church, Zoutleeuw, Belgium

The Saint Leonard's Church in Zoutleeuw stands on the former site of a Romanesque chapel erected in 1125 by Benedictines from Vlierbeek Abbey near Leuven. Construction of the present church began around 1231, and additions continued into the 16th century. Rendered mainly in the Gothic style, the building in its oldest parts shows traces of the Romanesque.

The two heavy square towers flanking the west facade are connected with each other by means of a gallery over the nave. The slender central tower, octagonal in cross-section, contains a carillon with 24 bells. Since 1999, this church with its towers has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Belfries of Belgium and France'.

Few if any other medieval churches in Belgium remain in such an excellent state of preservation as St. Leonard's, which stayed clear of the widespread iconoclasm during the Protestant Reformation. It also survived the French Revolution intact, because three canons took an oath of allegiance to the French regime. The interior thus offers an authentic glimpse of how the churches of Brabant were furnished centuries ago.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Steven Loockx (4 months ago)
This is a unique hidden gem that actually deserves much more fame. Where you have to pay in Antwerp to be able to see comparable art treasures, here you can just see them before your eyes and you can just enter the church! The unique sacrament tower, the Marianum at the large entrance, the majestic works of art,... It's beautiful! Here history is brought to life and you come face to face with the authentic past. Forget Bruges, forget Antwerp, visit Zoutleeuw! It's really worth it!

kadewi052 (4 months ago)
Sacramenttoren, Marianum, Sedes Sapientiae, several altarpieces: 21 recognized masterpieces of Flanders in their original location. Very successful restoration. Interesting recent brochure about the art treasures of the Sint-Leonarduskerk available on site (10 eur).

Vanessa (16 months ago)
Wonderful! And very well-restored frescoes

Dirk Van Gasse (3 years ago)
Absolutely worth the trip. The medieval church and it's art are a real gem.

Hugo Vandormael (3 years ago)
Super place! Especially if you like history and art (with a large letter 'K').

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Drew de F Fawkes

Historic Site of the week

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

The Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg is situated in a strategic area on a rocky spur overlooking the Upper Rhine Plain, it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years' War when it was abandoned. From 1900 to 1908 it was rebuilt at the behest of the German kaiser Wilhelm II. Today it is a major tourist site, attracting more than 500,000 visitors a year.

The first records of a castle built by the Hohenstaufens date back to 1147. The fortress changed its name to Koenigsburg (royal castle) around 1157. The castle was handed over to the Tiersteins by the Habsburgs following its destruction in 1462. They rebuilt and enlarged it, installing a defensive system designed to withstand artillery fire.

The fortification work accomplished over the 15th century did not suffice to keep the Swedish artillery at bay during the Thirty Years War, and the defences were overrun.

St. Leonard's Church

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Timeless Treasures of Wales

Gothic Cathedrals of Belgium

Migthy Cathar Castles

Historic Site of the week

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg