Saint Catherine of Siena
Hochstrasse
4711 Astenet (Lontzen)
Chapel | 1970 | Contemporary | Catholic Church
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 - 16.00
Tue 9.00 - 16.00
Wed 9.00 - 16.00
Thu 9.00 - 16.00
Fri 9.00 - 16.00
Sat 9.00 - 16.00
Sun 9.00 - 16.00
The sanctuary is open 24 hours a day.
Description
The building deviates from the traditional design of a closed building but is open to the outside, inspired by the campo of Siena. It is a polygonal building with a crypt, an inward sloping roof with an open atrium in the middle and a small fountain dedicated to the saint in the centre. A relic of the saint was donated by the archbishop of Siena.
The buildings were designed in close collaboration between the architect Emile-José Fettweiss and the artists André Blank and Maria Hasemeier-Eulenbruch, with the International Catherine of Siena Association and its initiator Jean Wintgens in charge of the project.
The construction was financed by donations from the faithful. The designers also wanted to make it a house of encounter and reconciliation, of dialogue, prayer and peace in this region of eastern Belgium, known as the three borders, close to Germany and the Netherlands. The site is in a pleasant, rural environment.
Because of the exceptional synergy between architecture, art and landscape, the site was listed in January 2025.
Photos
Remarkable elements
Sanctuary
The sanctuary is rooted in a harmonious dialogue between landscape, architecture and artistic creation. This successful collaboration is an excellent example of a dialogue between the surrounding landscape and a place of spirituality, in a symbiosis between the natural environment, high-quality, functional architecture and artistic elements. The architectural concept, which took shape in two phases, is highly convincing. It was designed by the renowned architect E.J. Fettweiss in close collaboration with the equally renowned artist A. Blank.
Statue of Saint Catherine
Devotion to Saint Catherine of Siena in the Euregio is growing significantly thanks to this place.
Ex-votos
Numerous ex-votos hang on the walls of the sanctuary.
Chapel
The small chapel is reminiscent of architect Fettweiss' earlier designs (a combination of brick and concrete) and heralds his later creations. The community house fits in here, demonstrating the architect's creativity in creating links between landscape and meeting place.
Crypt
Beneath the chapel, a crypt invites contemplation.
Forecourt and outdoor spaces
The site, made up of various buildings, was built in two phases. The small chapel on the street was built in 1968, and the community house with chapel, association premises and accommodation was built between 1979 and 1985. The complex is located on a rise between Walhorn and Hergenrath and was built in an existing landscape with a pond and a group of trees. The two parts are harmoniously linked by a small path and a piazza inspired by the large piazza in Siena, Italy.
