Our Lady of Vlierbeek
Abdij van Vlierbeek
3010 Kessel-Lo (Leuven)
Church | 1775-1790 | Classical | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon -
Tue 14.00 - 16.00
Wed -
Thu -
Fri -
Sat 10.00 - 17.00
Sun 12.00 - 17.00
Description
The Church of Our Lady of Vlierbeek is an absolute masterpiece by Laurent-Benoît Dewez (1731-1812), an architect in the service of the governor of the Austrian Netherlands of that time: Charles, Duke of Lorraine. The church was rightfully considered to be one of the most beautiful classical buildings of the eighteenth century.
To accurately assess the value of this church’s exterior, one needs to take into consideration that the building nowadays stands somewhat isolated, while there were plans in the past to integrate the church within a greater whole of abbey buildings.
The church was built in white limestone. In the north facade of the church, one can see the start in bricks of the unfinished monastery. The interior is a combination of three clearly visible shapes: a cross, a square, and a circle. Around the circle there are square chapels and freestanding columns.
From the bases of the columns, one can see the start of strips of black and white marble leading towards the star in the middle of the floor. Flower garlands in the middle of the dome lead to the Corinthian capitals of the columns between the semicircular windows that light the dome from below.
On the graveyard, one can find funerary monuments of famous people.
Source : www.abdijvanvlierbeek.be
KIKIRPA: photo-library online
Photos
Remarkable elements
Church paving
Bands of black and white marble run from the base of the columns to the star in the centre of the floor.
Dome
The dome rests on a heavy cornice supported by eight Corinthian columns detached from the wall.
New altar
In 2004, a copper altar by the French sculptor Jacques Dieudonné was placed on a bluestone podium, later complemented by a lectern, candelabras and a cross.
Pulpit
The Louis XVI style pulpit dates from 1779. Two putti seated on volute-shaped pedestals were stolen in 1968. The pulpit was restored in 2001.
Statues
In three separate niches in the choir apse, the three divine virtues are represented in the form of women.
Faith (Fides) and Hope (Spes). The third, Love (Caritas), is located in the main axis of the church, in the most important place.In the choir are the larger-than-life statues of Peter and Paul. They are the work of the Bruges artist Jozef Fernande (1741-1799).
Bells
There were three bells hanging in the tower, cast in 1772 by the Leuven bell foundry Vanden Gheyn. One of them still hangs in the bell tower today. The other two were requisitioned by the Germans during the Second World War.
In 1940, the remaining bell (300 kg) was recast by the Sergeys company. After the fire in 1953, it was recast again in 1959 and Sergeys supplied two new bells, which were given the names Norbertus (587 kg) and Margaretha (420 kg) at the consecration ceremony.
