Saint Martin
Grote Markt 21
1500 Halle
Basilica | 1340-1410 | Gothic | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon 8.00 - 17.30
Tue 8.00 - 17.30
Wed 8.00 - 17.30
Thu 8.00 - 17.30
Fri 8.00 - 17.30
Sat 8.00 - 17.30
Sun 8.00 - 17.30
Guided tour
Religious offices
Description
Saint Martin basilica, usually called Our Lady basilica, is a centre of devotion for the Virgin and comprises the chapel of Our Lady dating from 1335 and the actual church dating from 1409.The basilica is Gothic and in 1775 it was surmounted by a baroque lantern turret.
The statue of the Virgin of mercy (95cms high) was donated to the town of Halle by Machteld of Brabant in 1267.This notable statue stands above the high altar.The visitors’ book, kept in the crypt, mentions 59 miracles as well as the names of ten thousand members of the brotherhood.
In the Trazegnies Chapel, a magnificent alabaster retable depicts the seven sacraments.
Our Lady Chapel and nine other chapels radiate out from the ambulatory. The baptismal fonts in brass come from Tournai and date from 1446.The finely sculptured tabernacle and the 15th century brass lectern in the form of an eagle with outspread wings shows the richness of the basilica.
It was Pope Pius XII who raised the church to the level of a basilica in 1946.
After her marriage to Prince Phillip, Princess Mathilde offered her wedding bouquet to the Virgin of Halle.
More information : www.visithalle.be/basiliek
Photos
Media
Remarkable elements
Statue of Our Lady of Halle
Sofia of Thuringia donated this statue to the church in 1267. Inherited from her mother, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, it also appears in the chapel’s stained glass. Mary is shown nursing Jesus, an early Christian theme. During the 1489 and 1580 sieges, legend says she caught cannonballs, darkening her face. In fact, the silver plated head and hands blackened through oxidation.
The high choir
Against the pillars above the pentagonal high choir we can see 12 apostles with their attributes under canopies. They lead the service, as it were. Their position against the pillars also has a symbolic meaning: those pillars are the columns on which Jesus built his Church. The statues date back to the 14th century. Three statues stand out from the others because of their compact stature and robust facial features.
Chapel of Trazegnies
This chapel was built in 1467 by the Lord of Trazegnies. The alabaster altarpiece in Renaissance style dates back to 1533 and used to stand on the main altar. It was made by a sculptor in the service of Charles V. The seven medallions, spread over two storeys, depict the seven sacraments. Above the medallions we can see the Church Fathers and the Evangelists. In the middle stands the Equestrian of Saint Martin.
Procession of the choir
Around the high choir are nine chapels. The third has a window on the life of Mary and the Holy Family, plus a small sacrament house dated 1409, showing the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper. The fourth shows its back, with Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem and the Agony in the Garden. The fifth has a window by Verhaegen, donated by Queen Mary Henriette, depicting the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi and the Flight into Egypt.
Pulpit
The baroque pulpit from the 17th century has a theme: ‘Faith’. On the bottom we can see a woman holding a cross who symbolizes the Faith. With the cross and with the help of two angels she is trying to destroy sins and impiety, represented by vermin. The pulpit is decorated with representations of the evangelists and the pigeon below the sounding board is a symbol for the Holy Spirit. On top of the pulpit we can see a statue of the Good Shepherd with a sheep on his shoulders.
