Sint-Pieterskerk

Fakten

• In 1999, this church was designated a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The first church on this location was destroyed by fire in 1176.
• Several paintings from Flemish masters are on display in this church. Some of them are from master painter Dirk Bouts.
• The construction of towers was halted in 1541 at a height of 50 m, after the foundations were considered too weak to support any taller structures. One of the planned towers was to reach a height of 170 m.
• After several collapses the towers were lowered in 1641 to the current level.
• A second church was built in Romanesque style. At the beginning of the 15th century this building was considered too small and so the construction of the current church started.
• Since the architects stayed with the plans of the original design, this church is one of the purest examples of Brabant late gothic architecture.
• The main tower has carillon with 49 bells.
• The choir constructed by Sulpicius van Vorst was the first finished part.
• This church has a collection of silverwork: monstrances and chalices.
• Except for three planned towers located at the west façade, the church was finished by the end of the 15th century.