Saint Rita
Julius Sabbestraat
8530 Zandberg (Harelbeke)
Church | 1966 | Modern | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon 9.30 - 17.30
Tue 9.30 - 17.30
Wed 9.30 - 17.30
Thu 9.30 - 17.30
Fri 9.30 - 17.30
Sat 9.30 - 17.30
Sun -
The church will be closed for renovation work from 4 May.
Guided tour
Religious offices
Description
Leon Stijnen (1899 - 1990) was a fashionable architect of the modernist style in Belgium. As Director of the Institut National Supérieur d'Architecture et des Arts décoratifs in Brussels (1950), he marked the modernist architecture in Belgium with his seal for a decade. This is how he created the Kursaal in Ostend and all the buildings of the Singel in Antwerp.
The architect was very keen that the exterior appearance should retain the original colour of the concrete, but the church was nevertheless painted white later. The plan is in the form of an irregular hexagon with a diameter of 30 metres. The whole thing looks like a truncated pyramid. Because of this form, Stijnen made sure to put a central source of light in it.
For the interior, Stijnen and De Meyer seem to have literally translated the ancient text of the Bible: "God's tent among his people". This biblical reference is not only expressed in the aspect of the tent, but several elements refer to the Holy Scriptures.
With the exception of the confessionals (made of wood), all the furniture of the church, altar, baptismal font, credence, desk, as well as the support of the tabernacle were made of prefabricated polished concrete. The statue of Notre-Dame-des-Flandres was designed by Marcel Notebaert and executed by the goldsmith Adhemar Verdroemme. Notebaert also made the statue of Saint Rita. Firmin Colardyn added the expressionist Way of the Cross in bas relief. His brother Lieven Colardyn is the author of the head of Christ.
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Photos
Media
Remarkable elements
Our Lady of Flanders
The statues of Our Lady of Flanders (on the right-hand side) and Saint Rita (at the back left against the portal) were designed by painter Marcel Notebaert from Kortrijk and created by artist blacksmith Adhemar Vandroemme from Ypres.
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross were first indicated by fourteen white crosses fixed to the walls, reflecting the building’s austere design. The expressionist cell-relief cycle by painter Firmin Colardyn was completed in 1954 but remained without a permanent home for nearly thirty years. His wish that St. Rita’s Church would house the work was fulfilled posthumously in April 1981, when the city of Harelbeke loaned it to the church on the museum committee’s recommendation.
Head of Christ
A work by Lieven Colardyn, Firmin's brother.
Confessionals
The confessionals, designed by Steynen, are so large because they have to camouflage the flaws left over from an initial plan for concrete confessionals.
Organ
The organ, which has a mechanical key and stop action, is located in the space to the left rear of the choir. It was built in 1966 by the firm Théopfile Delmotte & Fils from Tournai.
Tabernacle
The tabernacle is by artist Paul Van Rafelghem from Kortrijk, who works with various sculptures in metal, bronze, lead and marble.
