Church of Saint Hubert and Vincent in Zolder (Heusden-Zolder) - Discover this open and welcoming religious building

Church | 1889-1890 | Romanesque, Gothic, Neogothic | Catholic Church

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Map

Opening hours

01 April - 31 October
Mon 9.00 - 18.00
Tue 9.00 - 18.00
Wed 9.00 - 18.00
Thu 9.00 - 18.00
Fri 9.00 - 18.00
Sat 9.00 - 18.00
Sun 9.00 - 18.00

01 November - 31 March
Mon 9.00 - 17.00
Tue 9.00 - 17.00
Wed 9.00 - 17.00
Thu 9.00 - 17.00
Fri 9.00 - 17.00
Sat 9.00 - 17.00
Sun 9.00 - 17.00

Religious offices

Kerknet

Description

The neo-gothic church with three equally wide, long, and high naves dates back to 1889-1890, and is a creation by the architect Helleputte. Before that moment in time, there stood a roman church from the 13th century, which leaned-to a medieval motte or defense tower. In the 15th century, a tower was built on top of the existing defense tower. The current building was closed down in 1980 due to danger of collapse as a result of mine subsidence. From 2000 to 2004, a restoration was done on the building. To reinforce the foundation, a cellar space was dug out, which can later serve as a religious museum.

For each part of the build, a different material was used. The base of the tower was erected out of brown iron sandstone from the local quarries. The foundation consists of iron ore (chunks of raw material used in the production of iron) which came from the village of Bolderberg and the domain of Terlamen. For the superstructure and the more recent parts of the church, a marlstone coming from the city of Maastricht was used. One then switched to brick as a material for the further extension of the church in 1890.

The oldest parts of the interior are the sedes sapientiae from 1225 and a late Gothic baptismal font from 1550. Furthermore, there stands a baroque pulpit from 1691, that originally came from from the Augustinian convent from the city of Hasselt, a late Gothic statue of Philomena (17th century), a statue of Hubert from the first half of the 18th century, a statue of Saint Vincent and Saint Cornelius from that same time period. The communion rails are in rococo style, and the head altar is in neo-Gothic style. A Jesus on the cross is dedicated to Anthony van Dyck.

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Photos

Remarkable elements

Sedes Sapientiae

Early Gothic statue from around 1225, later polychromed in neo Gothic style in 1893. Mary, shown as the Seat of Wisdom, sits on a simple throne, crowned and holding a lily topped scepter. She crushes a dragon under her foot. The Child Jesus sits on her left knee, holding a globe and giving a blessing. The statue’s base was renewed during the 1893 restoration.

Canvas ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ (1729)

Painted by B. Willebors in memory of Johanna de Malsen tot Kessenich, wife of Count Ferdinand von Inhausen und Kniphausen. At the center stands Our Lady of the Rosary, surrounded by 15 lockets showing Mary’s virtues and sorrows. She offers a rosary to Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena, while figures in purgatory below pray for her intercession.

Head altar

Neo-Gothic stone reredos from 1893 with images of scenes from the Old and the New Testament :
- to the left: Joshua and Caleb are bringing the miraculous cluster of grapes from the promised land, and a depiction of Jesus and The road to Emmaus.
- at the centre : the crucifixion on Calvary.
- to the right : Abraham wants to murder his son Isaac to please God, and a depiction of Moses who is making water flood out of a rock by knocking on it three times.

Murals on on the pillars and the choir

The murals in the church and the choir are actually paintings on canvas that were glued to the walls afterwards. The murals date back from 1893. On the first pillar to your left, one can see the image of patron saint Saint-Vincent. On the first pillar to your right, one can see the name of another patron saint by the name of Saint-Hubert., although according to experts this would have been a depiction of Saint Servatius.

Baptismal font

In 1599, the baptismal font was made out of Namur limestone and made into a holy water font. The pedestal carries the family crest of Geerard Vanderstappen, abbot of Saint Lawrence abbey situated in Liège (1520-1558), who originally came from the village of Zolder and donated this artwork to the church of his birth town. The lid made out of yellow brass is that of the earlier baptismal font, that one strangely enough can find in the city of Liège.

Stained-glass windows

The neo Gothic stained glass windows were donated in 1893 by Baron Jules de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck and his Irish wife Lady Camilla Preston. Removed and safely stored in 1980 when the church closed due to mine subsidence, they depict the patron saints of the de Villenfagne family. In theory they should match the coats of arms below, but these associations were not correctly applied.