Church of the Vault

The church Our-lady-of-the-Vault (in Dutch: Kapellekerk ) is one of the monuments of Brussels of which the historical roots are oldest.

Origins

The presence of a vault at this place is attested by a charter the year 1134 and signed hand of the duke Godefroid Bearded the. By this document, this one made gift of a vault that it made build, located “extra oppidum Bruxelli” (Out of the fortifications of Brussels) at the monks of the diocese of Cambric on which the city depended. The privileges of the monks will be increased in 1195 by Henri Ier of the Brabant which indicates the vault like: “Capella Beatae Mariae extra muros oppidi Bruxellensis sita”. These mention out the walls belong to the elements which made consider by certain historians, the construction of the First enclosure of Brussels like former at the time generally allowed of the beginning of the 13th century.

History of the church

The church of the Vault known a history animated made during the centuries of successive phases of partial destruction, sets fire to, confusions, bombardment, and of rebuildings, transformations and restorations, which makes of it an outstanding work of the transition from the Romance style towards the Gothic.

The transformation of the vault into church began in 1210, time or it is high with the row of second parish church of the city after the church Saint-Michel primitive which will be replaced soon by the cathedral, to be completed in the current of the 13th century. The creation of this new parish indicates that already at that time an important population éest established along the old Roman roadway, which will become the High Rue, beyond the ramparts and of the Steenpoort. The heart and the transept of style romano-Gothic contrast with the nave, Gothic vessel blazing built at the 16th century, after the building was partly destroyed in 1475 at the same time as the whole of the district, by a violent one sets fire to.

It will be then ransacked in 1574 by the Calvinistes which destroy furniture of it. In 1695, it is strongly reached at the time of the bombardment of Brussels by the French. It will be restored in 1708 and will then receive its bell-tower characteristic drawn by a bricklayer's mate of the name of Antoine Pastorana.

During its history, the church with accommodated the burials of big families and famous characters, among whom in 1569, that of Pieter Bruegel Old the whose house is always High Rue, or in 1719, that of François Anneessens. The population as for it, was buried on the side of the church, in the cemetery which occupied the site of the current place of the Vault until in 1822 before being converted into place on the market and places of popular Kermesse S.

New adventure at the 20th century with boring with the foot of the building of the tunnel of the railway junction North-Midday, which will make fear for its stability. From 1989 with 1996, the church profited from important work of restoration.

Today, the monument always shelters an interesting collection of paintings, sculptures, stained glasses and furniture, of which baptismal font going back to 1475 and a pulpit of 1721. Because of the quality of acoustics, concerts are organized there.

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