Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido

The Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido (French: Collégiale Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon, Dutch: Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guidokerk) is a Roman Catholic collegiate church located in the centre of Anderlecht, a municipality of Brussels, Belgium. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Guy, the patron saint of the Anderlecht.

Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido
French: Collégiale Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon
Dutch: Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guidokerk
Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido
50°50′12″N 4°18′22″E
LocationPlace de la Vaillance / Dapperheidsplein
B-1070 Anderlecht, Brussels-Capital Region
CountryBelgium
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
Dedication
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationProtected[1]
Designated25/10/1938
Architectural typeCollegiate church
Style
Years built14th–16th centuries (church)
19th century (spire)
Completed1898
Specifications
Number of spires1
Administration
Archdiocese Mechelen–Brussels

The church, in Brabantine Gothic style, was built between the 14th and 16th centuries above an earlier Romanesque crypt. Partially attributed to the Flemish architect Jan van Ruysbroeck, it is a notable illustration of late medieval architecture in Brussels. Its neo-Gothic spire dates from the 19th century. The complex was designated a historic monument in 1938.[1]

The church is located on the northern side of the Place de la Vaillance/Dapperheidsplein, not far from Erasmus House, the old beguinage of Anderlecht and the Lotto Park (the main football stadium of Anderlecht). This area is served by Saint Guidon/Sint Guido metro station on line 5 of the Brussels Metro.

History

Early history

A first church was founded by a chapter of canons shortly before 1078. This first church was of the Romanesque style, as attested by the 11th century-crypt still remaining beneath the chancel, and which was intended for the worship of relics.[2] In this crypt lies a very old tombstone, resting on two brick pedestals, with no inscription. A long tradition of pilgrimages consider it to be the tomb of Saint Guy (French: Saint Guidon, Dutch: Saint Guido), the Poor Man of Anderlecht, who died around 1012.[3] The following centuries, this "tomb" of Saint Guy began to attract a large number of pilgrims, eventually becoming a place of dedication for the saint.

The Brabantine Gothic building that we know today was erected in stages from 1350 to 1527. At that time, Anderlecht was still a village in the outskirts of Brussels counting barely 300 inhabitants.[4] Built in the centre of the village, the church was intended for gatherings much bigger than just the parish community, hence its large size. Jan van Ruysbroeck, the court architect of Philip the Good,[5] who also designed the tower of Brussels' Town Hall, was responsible for the works between 1479 and 1485. Louis van Bodeghem, the architect behind the Royal Monastery of Brou (France), designed the portal.[6] The originally square tower dates from 1517.[7]

19th century–present

Restoration works were carried out on the church between 1843 and 1847, under the direction of the architect Jules-Jacques Van Ysendyck, which lead to the discovery of several wall paintings from the early 15th and 16th centuries.[8] In 1898, the square tower was surmounted with a neo-Gothic spire, giving the church its current appearance.

The church was designated a historic monument on 25 October 1938.[1] It was the subject of a cleaning campaign from 1994 to 1997.

  • Frontal view of the tower
  • Main portal
  • Interior
  • Tomb of the canons Van Dievoet

See also

References

Notes
  1. "Registre du patrimoine immobilier protégé dans la Région". patrimoine.brussels. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  2. "Collégiale Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon". visit.brussels (in French). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. "Saint Guy of Anderlecht". CatholicSaints.Info. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  4. Roux de Luze, Clémence (2010). "La maison d'Erasme". Juliette & Victor, le magazine de l'art de vivre franco-belge. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  5. De Vries 2003, p. 32.
  6. "Heritage Days – Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon/Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guido Collegiate Church – Anderlecht – Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon/Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guido Collegiate Church". heritagedays.urban.brussels. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. "Collegial Church of Saint Peter and Saint Guidon - Bruxelles ma Belle | Un site utilisant WordPress". www.bruxellesmabelle.net. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  8. "An insider's guide to Anderlecht" (PDF).

Bibliography
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