Saint Agatha
Bakkerstraat 1
9860 Landskouter (Oosterzele)
Church | XII-XVII | Romanesque | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 April - 31 October
Mon 10.00 - 18.00
Tue 10.00 - 18.00
Wed 10.00 - 18.00
Thu 10.00 - 18.00
Fri 10.00 - 18.00
Sat 10.00 - 18.00
Sun 10.00 - 18.00
01 November - 31 March
Mon 10.00 - 17.00
Tue 10.00 - 17.00
Wed 10.00 - 17.00
Thu 10.00 - 17.00
Fri 10.00 - 17.00
Sat 10.00 - 17.00
Sun 10.00 - 17.00
Guided tour
Rudy Bockstaele : +32 9 362 32 61
Religious offices
Description
The church is first mentioned in 1155. The house of worship was then dedicated only to Saint Blaise and depended on the bishop of Kamerijk. A legend tells of a French princess cured of an incurable chest ailment after praying to Saint Agatha; in gratitude, she replaced the chapel with a church in her honour. Landskouter remained under Kamerijk until 1559, then under Mechelen and later Ghent. Since 1840 Saint Agatha has been an independent parish.
It is a one nave cruciform church with three bays. The robust western tower has three loopholes. The church is mainly built of white yellow sandstone from the Betsberg pits on the Landskouter–Oosterzele border. A late Romanesque aisleless church likely stood here from the 12th century, later extended in phases. The brick sacristy was added in 1897.
The entrance door with iron fittings leads to an evenly painted interior with rib vaulting. The furniture is mostly rococo. The main altar holds the painting Resurrection by Jacob van Oost (18th century). The side altars are dedicated to Saint Agatha and Saint Blaise.
Confessional, communion rails, pulpit, rood loft and choir stalls date from the 18th century and are in oak. The five tablets of the communion rails, by Frans Hebbelinck, depict the patron saints and the Last Supper. The 18th century pipe organ comes from Maldegem.
In the adjacent renovated parish house, cardinal Gustaaf Joos, confidant of Pope John Paul II and former priest of Landskouter, passed away and was buried next to the church.
Photos
Remarkable elements
Van Peteghem organ
Our organ is an original Van Peteghem organ built by Pieter Van Peteghem and Sons in 1768. The Van Peteghems were a famous Flemish family known for their organ building. The organ of Landskouter is one of the best preserved Van Peteghem organs in the neighbourhood because it has never been renovated. The organ-case and the rood loft balustrade (1768) are made by Domien Cruyt (Ghent).
Pulpit
The oak rococo pulpit in the Agatha Church dates from 1752 and is decorated with white and golden cartouches. In said pulpit, the holy Blasius of Sebaste, the holy Agatha of Catania and the Christ Pantocrator are depicted. The capricious veering soundboard is adorned with cut fake fabric. At the foot of this soundboard you can see a pigeon which represents the Holy Spirit in a wreath of clouds and beams. The curved staircase is lavishly decorated with rocailles and colutes.
Calvary
The late gothic Calvary of 1601-1610 consists of a sculpture group of polychrome wood which depicts the crucified Jesus, flanked by John and Mary. The horizontal beam of the cross are decorated with lilies and leaf work medallions. On the junction of the horizontal beam of the cross, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is depicted.
High altar
The high altar (1750 1799) by Frans Hebbelinck features a richly decorated tabernacle crowned by the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Above hangs The Resurrection of Jesus by Jacob van Oost (1603 1671), painted between 1651 and 1671. Corinthian columns and busts of Agatha and Blasius flank the ensemble, topped by a canopy with volutes and a dove symbolising the Holy Spirit.
Agatha altar with saint Agatha sculpture
The northern side altar is dedicated to Agatha, the patron saint of the church. The classicistic porch way altar was established between 1775 and 1799. Above the tomb is a sculpture of the holy Agatha, flanked by chamfered Corinthian columns. The sculpture dates from the 16th century and is made of polychrome wood.
