Eglise Notre-Dame du Finistere (Church of Our Lady of Finistere), Brussels
Combining elements of both Baroque and Neoclassical styles, this church was erected in the early 18th century to replace an earlier structure from the early 17th century, driven by the need to house a miraculous statuette of the Virgin Mary.
The site was previously occupied by a small chapel known as "des Potagers," which was historically situated at the outermost boundary, referred to as "finis terrae", of the Brussels territory, and it's this historical connection that led to the dedication of the new chapel to Notre-Dame du Finist猫re. During the French Revolution, it was temporarily closed but was later reopened for worship in 1804.
In 1852, an additional chapel was constructed to house the statuette of Notre-Dame du Bon Succ猫s. This revered artifact was brought to the church from Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1625 and had previously been housed in the Augustinian church in Brussels; however, it was relocated to the Finist猫re in 1814 when the Augustinian church underwent a transformation into a Protestant temple.
Concealed behind the sandstone frontage, the interior houses notable wooden craftsmanship, including a remarkable "pulpit of truth" meticulously sculpted by Duray in 1758. Adorning the side aisles, one can admire wainscoting, elaborately adorned internal access doors with wooden draperies, and records of confraternities, as well as the stucco work within the choir, adding to the overall charm. As for the organ, initially crafted by organ builder Hippolyte Loret in 1856, it underwent multiple modifications and fell silent due to water damage inflicted during a fire in the bell tower in 1970. A restoration project ensued, successfully reinstating it to its original composition.
The site was previously occupied by a small chapel known as "des Potagers," which was historically situated at the outermost boundary, referred to as "finis terrae", of the Brussels territory, and it's this historical connection that led to the dedication of the new chapel to Notre-Dame du Finist猫re. During the French Revolution, it was temporarily closed but was later reopened for worship in 1804.
In 1852, an additional chapel was constructed to house the statuette of Notre-Dame du Bon Succ猫s. This revered artifact was brought to the church from Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1625 and had previously been housed in the Augustinian church in Brussels; however, it was relocated to the Finist猫re in 1814 when the Augustinian church underwent a transformation into a Protestant temple.
Concealed behind the sandstone frontage, the interior houses notable wooden craftsmanship, including a remarkable "pulpit of truth" meticulously sculpted by Duray in 1758. Adorning the side aisles, one can admire wainscoting, elaborately adorned internal access doors with wooden draperies, and records of confraternities, as well as the stucco work within the choir, adding to the overall charm. As for the organ, initially crafted by organ builder Hippolyte Loret in 1856, it underwent multiple modifications and fell silent due to water damage inflicted during a fire in the bell tower in 1970. A restoration project ensued, successfully reinstating it to its original composition.
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Eglise Notre-Dame du Finistere (Church of Our Lady of Finistere) on Map
Sight Name: Eglise Notre-Dame du Finistere (Church of Our Lady of Finistere)
Sight Location: Brussels, Belgium (See walking tours in Brussels)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Brussels, Belgium (See walking tours in Brussels)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Brussels, Belgium
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