Church of Sint-Brixius in Schalkhoven (Hoeselt) - Discover this open and welcoming religious building

Church | 1927 | Gothic | Catholic Church

Parking space Toilets Organ

Map

Opening hours

01 May - 30 September
Mon 11.00 - 16.00
Tue 11.00 - 16.00
Wed 11.00 - 16.00
Thu 11.00 - 16.00
Fri 11.00 - 16.00
Sat 11.00 - 16.00
Sun 11.00 - 16.00

Religious offices

Kerknet

Description

Schalkhoven, with its 300 inhabits making it the smallest borough of Hoeselt, can be proud of its 16th century water castle that was rebuilt in 1770 with an accompanying castle farmhouse. One of the chatelains, knight Camille de Borman had excavations done on the grounds near the castle which uncovered a Roman villa and burial ground.

Originally Schalkhoven had a church that was situated across the entrance of the castle of Schalkhoven. In 1927, the current Saint Brixius church was built about a hundred meters northward. Of the old church site only the cemetery remains where the age-old tombstones of the consecutive chatelains lie.

The new church in neogothic style was given a ship of four bays with a built-in western tower, a transept of one bay, a choir with a straight bay and a three-sided lock and a sacristy on the southern side of the choir. It is a brick building with alternating stone bands of yellow natural stone and a decorative rock plinth.

The interior walls were plastered with fake brick columns. In this decor, you will find amongst others a painting called “The flight of Egypt”, a copy of Gaspar de Crayer (17th century). Furthermore, you can find two statues of saints in polychromated wood: a statue of Our Lady with Child (late 15th century) and a Saint Brixius (around 1700). The simple pulpit and the confessional in oak are late 18th century.

Photos

Remarkable elements

The Church

The Brixiuschurch was first occupied in 1929 as a replacement of the old church that is situated nearby the graveyard. The old church had become too small and was starting to become too ruinous to be further used. In 1930 part of the old church was demolished, the chancel was dismantled in 1947. The new Brixiuschurch became a neogothic single-naved cruciform church also called an aisleless church. The church is built out of local brick and has a finishing of bands of yellow natural stones.

Curious statues Our Lady with Child and Holy Brixius

The wooden polychrome gothic Madonna statue with child dates back to the 15th century. This valuable statue travelled to several exhibitions and is under close surveillance. It is protected by a burglar alarm. The statue of the patron saint, The H. Brixius, is also a wooden polychrome statue. It dates back to ca. 1700. Inside the choir, on the left side, hangs a 17th century copy of the Exodus by Gaspar de Crayer.

Wooden furniture

The wooden pulpit stems from the old church. It is a mastery example of wood carving in Louis XV rococo style. It was carved in mid-18th century. Another valuable wooden piece of furniture in the church is an old oaken prie-dieu dated on the 1st of January 1808 and marked with the initials W.P. The church also contains three old prayer desks dating from the 18th century. Two magnificent gothic confessional boxes were made in 1930 by a certain Dupain from Liège.

Tower with bells

The church has a modest built-in tower of 33 metres height with a spire. The original slates covering the roof of the tower were replaced by copper roofing In 1996. The two bells were brought from the old church. The biggest one dates back to May 1812, the little bell dates back to 1630.

Copper- and silver pieces

The church contains a lot of copper and silver. The copper tabernacle was bought in 1929 by Mouffart from Ans. He payed 7500 Belgian francs for it. The baptismal font with copper lid was bought in 1930. Six baroque chandeliers date back to the 17th century and were taken from the old church. A silver chalice with silver marking and the letters I.H. is from the 18th century.

Ancient gravestones.

A number of noteworthy old gravestones that used to be in the ancient church, were bricked into the walls of the cemetery. They were originally dedicated to the memory of the inhabitants of the castle and the former pastors. They date back to the beginning of the 17th century.

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