St. Nicholas' Church
Ghent, Belgium
Images Courtesy: Wikipedia
Painter: Eduard Gaertner (1801-1877)
Oil on Canvas
This very old Gothic style church was built during the 13th c and replaced an older church that had been built in the Romanesque style. Until the 13th century Ghent was, after Paris, the largest city in Europe, even larger than London and Moscow. By the 18th c this beautiful church was showing terrible signs of deterioration - store fronts had even been built against it! But by the turn of the 20th c plans were underway to refurbish it. Thank God for those men and women of that time who recognized how important it was to take care of this treasure left to us by 13th c man. This building, named after the great Christian, St. Nicholas, and built in God's honor, is a work of art and the world is richer for its continued presence in our modern lives.
St. Nicholas' Church Around the Last Decade of the 18th c
Notice the store fronts that had been built up against the facade.
In the photo below, taken by Jiel Beaumadier, they were thankfully, during the course of renovation, removed!
August 3, 2005
I will leave you today with a sweeping interior photo by Petrus Silesius
Photo Taken: September 3, 2005
30 comments:
Stunning photos and this church is how I imagine a church should look. Yes glad those shop fronts were removed when they restored! Diane
Beautiful !
So glad the store fronts have gone.. what a blight.
Goodmorning dearest Ann! Lovely photos, and I want to got to BELGIUM SOME DAY!!! How is Edward dearest? Have a pleasant and relaxing day, Anita
Oh, wow! This building is amazing! Love the mix of paintings and photos you've included here :)
YES! WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!! ANd so good to hear Sir Edward is cozy and comfy in your chair! Soon he will make his way onto his paper bag...the plot thickens....teeeeheeee! LOVE TO YOU ALL, Anita
How Majestic and wonderful...It seems to be reaching to heaven.
Love Crystal x
You're so right, thank God for the people who look after historic buildings, sites and other important parts of everybody's heritage... Have a great week xo
What a beautiful church!
Beautiful images. Belgium is a very picturesque country.
The photos are just breath taking, I can't even imagine what it would be like in person!
I was so close to this one. I spent a day in Belgium just eating chocolate.
The churh is beautiful and I'm glad they removed the store fronts! I can't believe how huge the church is and the inside is beautiful as well! Have a nice week! Hope Edward is doing better!
I love how in every town we visit we must go see a beautiful big church, I love it :)
Morning Ms Ann,
I'm thrilled to hear Edward is better...give hima big hug and nose tap from me.
Mom says she loves reading about all the St. Nicholas around the world...now if she could just get her passport stamped...
hugs madi
Thank goodness people are beginning to see the value in these old treasures and are working to renovate them. This is truly a beautiful church.
Unbelievable beautiful.
How wonderful it looks after the restoration. How odd that they put store fronts up against the church.
Oh Ann... It is magnificent! It would be so wonderful to visit one day.
I am so glad it has been restored.
Thank you for visiting Bella once again and your kind thoughts..
Blessings,
Penny
Wow, this must be the most beautiful church I have ever seen. It is a cathedral and resembles almost an enchanted castle...
As you say, thankfully there has always been around people who understand that such treasures have to be preserved for coming generations.
Thank you so much for your kind and poignant comment on my destiny post.;)
xoxo
gorgeous old buildings, the older they are the more I love them. had to laugh at your comemment of push-me-pullem, i had not heard that one
What a wonderful wonderful renovation. Ghent is/was a great medieval city I've never visited. Now it goes on my "bucket" list. My interest in Gothic was spured by Ken Follets immortal "Pillars of the Earth." I'm also wondering if you saw my March 12 post on St. Denis cathdral?
Just breathtaking Ann. Thank you so much for sharing them.
What a beautiful church! I love seeing the architecture of old churches. Hope to visit there one day too!
Oh Wow Ann.... That church is awesome--both inside and out. Thanks be to God that they preserved it... All I can think is WOW--and that doesn't cover my feelings... Thanks so much for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy
So beautiful Ann!
This is such a beautiful idea for a blog! I was captivated by the name right away as St. Nicholas was the patron saint of our family growing up actually!
Beautiful photos as well!
Ann this church in Ghent is amazing! I am so glad to see that the storefronts where removed. The preservation of this ancient church is a beautiful sight. Thank you Ann for sharing it with us.
Sending hugs...
May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, dear Ann:-) These churches are absolutely breathtaking! Only fitting that they carry the St. Nicholas name:-) xoxo
These old churches stand as monuments. They are beautiful.
Here in Savannah Ga. we have some old churches not quite that old or large but still a lot of architecture, and love.
Hi Ann...we're getting a little worried you only have one post this week....we hope that you are JUST busy and no one is sickly.
Happy Weekend
Madi and Mom and hugs to Edward
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