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, stands in the lively centre of Wilderen, a village also known for its brewery distillery and cycling routes through the fruit region. Its rectangular Romanesque tower likely dates from around 1150. This defensive western tower is notable for its unusually narrow hipped gable roof topped with two crosses.
The building combines dark quartzite blocks from Tienen with light Gobertange stone, a typical Brabant technique that reflects Wilderen’s position on the border between Brabant and Southern Limburg.
In 1858, the small Romanesque nave was replaced by a brick neoclassical hall. The stained glass windows, rich in iconography, were donated by local families between 1909 (choir) and 1925 (nave).
The main altar features the painting Our Lady of the Assumption, referring to the church’s former name. The interior holds several notable statues: a polychromed wooden Madonna and Child (early 17th century), Saint Sebastian (17th century), and Saint Roch (late 17th century). The two side altars date from the early 18th century, and the church also preserves two confessionals, an 18th century choir lectern, and a mid 18th century prayer bench.
The cemetery contains gravestones from the 16th to 18th centuries. Noteworthy are the tombs of the noble d’Oultremont family and members of the Duras castle estate. Since the castle village of Duras had no church, its dead were buried here in 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.
