O.L.V.-ten-Poelkerk - Grote Markt Tienen

O.L.V.-ten-Poelkerk - Grote Markt Tienen

This photo was taken from the entrance gate of the Old City Prison

OLV-ten-PoelkerkThis church is considered to be the cradle of Brabant's high gothic. The choir dates from 1358-1359. The floor plan and the portals, which were restored in 1913, are by Jan van Osy from Valenciennes. The three portals in the west façade are decorated with niches, the bases of which represent sculptured scenes from the Old and New Testaments and probably also from the building history of the church. The side aisles were built to the plans of Jacob van Gobertingen (also called Tienen) and Botso van Raetshoven (1383-1410). The transept and the tower (1410-1438) are by Sulpitius van Vorst, who was succeeded by Mathias de Layens at the end of the 15th century.

After a fire, the 70-meter-high tower was crowned in 1654 with a baroque spire. A few renovations took place in the first half of the 19th century and the church was expanded with two side choirs and a sacristy. The furniture (altars and confessionals) are predominantly baroque.

Originally this church was a pilgrimage chapel, built in honor of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Poel. The miraculous statue, by Walter Pans, is now above the high altar. There is a legend attached to the construction in which the Blessed Virgin and the now muffled pool play a leading role. Only in 1802 did this chapel become a fully-fledged parish church. In 2002 the cross and the rooster, which had disappeared from the tower for several decades, were replaced.

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Theo-Herbots-Photography
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