Church of Our Lady (Kortrijk)

The Church of Our Lady ( Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk ) is a Gothic church in the Belgian city of Kortrijk.

History and Architecture

Nucleus of today's church was a chapel of the Counts of Flanders. She was in the years 1203-1205, after the departure of Baldwin IX. to the Fourth Crusade, was built as a church hall. A transept, a three naves with remarkable triforia and two western towers were in 1250 because the West in early Gothic style built on, so the chapel to the choir of the new plant was. As of 1300, it was then replaced by a High Gothic choir with ambulatory and radiating chapels, whose length exceeds that of the nave.

From 1370, Ludwig had built south of Male of the choir modeled on the Sainte -Chapelle Chapel in Paris, the Count as grave lay for himself and his descendants.

After the battle of Roosebeke 1382 the castle was destroyed. The church suffered severe fire damage; their restoration began 1410. 1578 the interior was destroyed by a Protestant iconoclasm.

On 21 July 1944, the church was hit by a bomb that damaged the north side. After the war she has been faithfully restored.

In the church are among other images of the Baroque painter Anthony van Dyck.