Church of Our Lady of Leliendaal

The Norbertines (Premonstratensians) of Leliëndaal commissioned Lucas Faydherbe to design this convent church in the seventeenth century. Note the gatehouse on the right next to the church; it housed a charitable institution after the abolition of the Order in the eighteenth century. On the plates between the windows you can still read the names of the major benefactors. It is now the Brasserie De Margriet. Its terrace is a lovely quiet spot in the middle of a busy shopping street.

The iconography and ideology of the Jesuits predominate in this former Norbertine church. The figure of Ignatius of Loyola on the façade, the painting in the high altar, the Lourdes Grotto and the pervasive presence of Mary in general are examples of that Jesuit inspiration. The baroque character of the interior has nevertheless largely been preserved. The church furnishings were sold after the French Revolution, which is why most of the interior you see today dates from the twentieth century. St Rumbold's Cathedral acquired the pulpit where it stands to this day.

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