Our Lady
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerkplein 1
9200 Dendermonde
Church | XIII-XV | | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 June - 30 September
Mon -
Tue 13.00 - 17.00
Wed 13.00 - 17.00
Thu 13.00 - 17.00
Fri 13.00 - 17.00
Sat 13.00 - 17.00
Sun 13.00 - 17.00
Guided tour
Religious offices
Description
Flemish masters such as Antoon van Dyck, Gaspar de Crayer and David Teniers the Elder are present in this church. Van Dyck’s Adoration of the Shepherds was painted in 1631 for the Brotherhood of Our Lady. The showpiece is a Roman baptismal font in Tournai Stone. Visitors also see a sculpted pulpit, a marble main altar, a Van Peteghem organ and several murals. The treasury preserves a goldsmith’s masterpiece: a reliquary with sapphires from about 1220 1230.
Ringoot II, lord of Dendermonde, likely built the church in the 11th century. Many renovations followed from the 13th to the 16th century, with key parts in Scheldt Gothic style. The eight sided crossing tower dates from 1388. Its stubby spire was replaced by a tall wooden one in 1910 1912, which blew away during a stormy night in 1940 and was never rebuilt.
After Calvinist devastation (1578 1584), new Renaissance and Baroque furniture was added. In the 19th and early 20th century, several parts were altered, partly in Neo Gothic style. Since 1948, the Friends of the Church of Our Lady have safeguarded the building. They remind visitors that Margaret of York walked here on 23 July 1468, when her coat of arms was placed on a vault key. You are now using the guestbook.
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Remarkable elements
Masterpieces by Antoon Van Dyck
The church preserves two masterpieces by Anthony Van Dyck in the southern side chapels. The Calvary (1628 1629), a gift from Bishop Antoon Triest, was originally meant for the Capuchin high altar. The Christmas Night (1631), painted for the Brotherhood of Our Lady, still stands in its 1629 portico altar crafted by Duquesnoy the Elder and Faydherbe. Both paintings have recently undergone restoration.
Baptismal font
The Romanesque baptismal font in Tournai limestone (12th century) comes from the predecessor of the current church. Its basin shows remarkable sculpture: friezes of griffins (evil), the Lamb of God (good), Paul’s baptism beside Peter near Heavenly Jerusalem, and Paul’s admission among the apostles. Restored in 1859 1860, it was placed in the baptistery, closed with a 17th century oak partition.
Pulpit
The Baroque pulpit dates from 1680-1682 and is the work of Antwerp sculptor Mattheus Van Beveren the Elder (1639-1696). The pulpit is supported by three life-size angels trampling on unbelief. The reliefs on the pulpit depict Christ in the centre, God the Father on the left and Our Lady on the right. The same sculptor also created the altar of Saint Barbara and Our Lady of Seven Sorrows (1668-1669) with a central Pietà.
Main altar
The Baroque high altar in the chancel was probably designed by Hans van Mildert and made by Huybrecht vanden Eynde. It is crowned by Christ Salvator Mundi with the city's patron saints, St. Hilduardus and St. Christiana. The front features a painting by Gaspar de Crayer (1584-1969) depicting “The Glorification of Our Lady” (1633-1635). The painting on the back depicts the “Presentation in the Temple” and is attributed to Jan van Cleef (1646-1716).
Wall paintings
The Church of Our Lady preserves remarkable murals. In the northern transept survives a 15th century Calvary that once included a carved mount with Christ on the cross. In the northern aisle, a vault painting surrounds a keystone with Margaret of York’s coat of arms (1468). In the chancel remain 15th 17th century murals of the apostles and the canons Jacobus and Joannes Van der Meere.
Organ
The impressive organ is a combination of the organ delivered by Jan van Loo in 1654-1656 and that of Mamimiliaan Van Peteghem, who renovated and expanded it in 1860-1861 with two large side towers. The organ stands on the former marble gallery, designed by Huybrecht vanden Eynde and realised by stonemason Adriaan van Ronse and sculptors Artus Quellinus and Mattheus van Beveren (statues of the four evangelists). It was placed against the west façade in 1860 to serve as an organ loft.
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Nearby
Circuit
Dendermonde: lordly churches and chapels
Religious heritage around Dendermonde-Buggenhout – With this cycle route we zoom in on the influence of the secular lords in the creation of churches and chapels and on their role as patrons of various religious institutions. This is the land of the mighty medieval lords of Dendermonde!
