Saint Gertrude
Halfmaartstraat 3
3000 Leuven
Abbey church | XIV | Romanesque | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 April - 30 September
Mon -
Tue 13.30 - 16.30
Wed 13.30 - 16.30
Thu 13.30 - 16.30
Fri 13.30 - 16.30
Sat 13.30 - 16.30
Sun 13.30 - 16.30
Religious offices
Description
The church was originally built between the 13th and 15th centuries but was almost entirely rebuilt after its destruction in 1944 when only the front part survived.
The late Gothic tower (1454) by Jan van Ruysbroeck, the architect of the Town hall of Brussels, is one of the seven wonders of Louvain . It is known as “the tower without nails” as its stones are placed without using a single fastening.
The three carillons of Louvain can be heard from this tower.
The magnificent wooden stalls (1540-1544) in the choir of the church by Mathieu de Waeyer were crushed in the ruins but a detailed work of sorting and restoration led to their reconstruction.
The church belongs to the abbey of the Augustines and on its south side the ancient abbey buildings are in fact a complex of homes. On the north side, on the left, there is a street lined with gabled houses of the old Little Beguinage.
Photos
Remarkable elements
Organ
The organ was built in 1714 by Christiaan Penceler. The instrument has 23 stops, several of them are original. It was restored and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The last time was in 2000 by Marc Nagels. Wouter Dekoninck is the head organist who plays the organ every week during Sunday mass at 10 am. The organ is one of the most valuable organs in Leuven.
Carillon
The “tower without nails” is one of the seven wonders of Leuven and it is home to the oldest of four carillons of the city. The carillon was made in 1778 by the famous bell-founder Andries Vanden Gheyn from Leuven and it houses 49 clocks with a total weight of 15 tons. On special occassions and on Sundays in July and August Marck Van Eyck, head bell ringer, lets the instrument resound through Leuven. The perfect spot to listen to the carillon is the garden of the Saint Gertrude abbey.
Choir stalls
The highlights of the church are without doubt the choir stalls. Abbot Pieter Was ordered them in 1540 and they are a remarkable mixture of late Gothic style with an Italian vivacity. The artwork was completely destroyed by the bombing on May 11 and 12, 1944, but the sculptor Joseph Van Uytvanck from Leuven restored them afterwards.
Saint Gertrude’s church
This place has been a place of worship for Saint Gertrude of Nivelles since the 12th century. In 1326 a large fire destroyed a part of the abbey and church and more than 600 homes in the area. The current church was built during the 15th century. The tower dates back to 1453. Jan van Ruysbroeck was the contractor. He also built the city hall of Brussels. The spire was restored in 2005.
