Our Lady of the Visitation
Wilderenlaan 11
3803 Wilderen (Sint-Truiden)
Church | 1150-1858 | Romanesque, Neoclassical | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 April - 30 September
Mon -
Tue -
Wed -
Thu -
Fri -
Sat 14.00 - 18.00
Sun 14.00 - 18.00
Church closed for restoration work in 2025.
Guided tour
Free guided tours : +32 496 61 55 64
Religious offices
Description
This beautiful church, surrounded by a cemetery, can be found in the vivid village centre of Wilderen (that also has a brewery-distillery and a cycling route through the fruit region). The rectangular Romanesque tower supposedly dates back to 1150. This (defensive) western tower has an exceptional narrow hipped gable roof with on top two crosses.
Dark quartzite blocks (from Tienen) were used alternately with light Gobertange stones, a typical construction technique from Brabant. This reveals that Wilderen is located on the borders of the traditional conventions of Brabant and Southern Limburg.
In 1858, the small Romanesque nave was replaced by a neoclassic church hall in brick. The stained glass windows display a rich iconography and were donated by local families between 1909 (the choir) and 1925 (nave).
The painting “Our Lady of the Assumption” on the main altar refers to the old former name of the church.
The furniture consists of several statues, including a statue of Our Lady with Child made from polychromed wood (early seventeenth century), one of Saint Sebastian (seventeenth century) and one of Saint Roch made from polychromed wood (second half of the seventeenth century). The two side altars are from the first half of the eighteenth century. There are also two confessionals, a choir lectern (eighteenth century) and a prayer bench (mid-eighteenth century) that are worth a visit.
There are several old gravestones on the cemetery (dating from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century). Look out for the tomb of the noble family d’Oultremont and the graves of those from the castle Duras. The castle village Duras had no church so the dead were buried on the cemetery of Wilderen.
KIKIRPA : Photo-library online
See the treasures on this church online on erfgoedplus.be
Photos
Remarkable elements
Romanesque western tower
Four phases have shaped this tower: around1150 it was the defense tower of the castle of Duras, then it functioned as a local church, and from 1858 as church tower. Today it contains a small museum of original documents giving information on the history of the parish, the castle of Duras and the restoration works.
A contentious marriage
In a trunk in the church the correspondence was found by chance between Willem I of Orange and his second wife countess d’Oultremont. This coffer was a gift by countess d’Oultremont to the church wardens of the Wilderen-Duras parish. Governor Roppe based his book “a contentious marriage” on these letters.
Murals of Heidbüchel
At the time when it belonged to the deanery of Hoegaarden, the church was known as the church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary. Later the deanery of Sint Truiden took over the parish and named it the church of the Visitation of Our Lady. Four of the five joyful mysteries of the rosary were depicted in murals by Heidbüchel.
Clerix organ
The organ was built by Mr. Clerix of Sint-Truiden. The tender and the list of benefactors are exhibited. This organ is unusual as the keyboard was mounted on the side for lack of space on the front.
Oldest church bell in Limburg
The 485kg heavy bell dates from 1480. The oak beams of the belfry are over 500 years old. The bell was not removed by the Germans during the war, probably due to the diplomacy of the then mayor Nicolai, owner of the local distillery and to his generous tasting sessions. His distillery also stayed intact.
