The best city hikes and walks in Zalfens Gebroekt

• Saint Martin of Tours is a popular saint in Europe, especially in Catholic regions. He lived in the 4th century and was known for his compassion and simplicity. • The artwork is a devotional image or monument, intended to remind believers of the Christian values of mercy and charity. • The location in a cemetery symbolically fits Saint Martin, who is venerated as the protector of the poor and the weak. • These types of monuments are often placed in honor of a patron saint of the parish

The image shows a rider – probably Saint Martin (also called Saint Martin) – sharing his cloak with a beggar. This is a classic representation of the well-known story in which Saint Martin, when he was still a Roman soldier, cut his cloak in two to help a poor man. At the bottom of the artwork is the inscription: “parochie Sint-Martinus Westmalle”

A boring utility cupboard was artistically decorated with a castle and rainbow.

A predecessor of the current church is the chapel of the Westmalle Castle. This was destroyed in the 15th century. At the end of the 15th century, a new church was built of which only the baptismal chapel and the sacristy have been preserved. The burial chapel is probably 16th century. It contains the alliance coat of arms of the Van der Molen and de Cotereau families. There is also the epitaph of Hendrik de Cotereau. The hexagonal tower was destroyed by fire in 1757. In 1760, a new tower was built by order of the Sint-Bernardusabdij. In 1822, the church was struck by lightning and fire and in 1869 there was considerable storm damage. In 1902-1905, the church was considerably enlarged and a new tower was built 20 metres west of the old one. On 8 June 1915, the church burned down again. Reconstruction in 1926-1927 took place under the direction of V. Lenaerts. The church was enlarged with two side aisles.

It concerns an oriented brick three-aisled cruciform church with built-in west tower. The church is in neo-Gothic style. Some remains from the 15th and 16th century are still present, in particular the burial vault. Two extra side aisles have been added over half the length of the nave. The tower on a square plan has four sections and is covered by a constricted needle spire. The nave is covered by a pointed barrel vault.

This chapel dates from 1936 and was built on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the local Boerinnenbond. They took care of maintenance and flowers. In 1985 the glass was destroyed and the statue of Mary was taken. KVLV placed the current statue and that is how it is still called "het kapelleke van de KVLV". The neighbors now take care of the maintenance around the chapel.

Detached mansion, in neo-traditional style, from the third quarter of the 19th century. Brick and natural stone facade of seven bays and two storeys under a saddle roof (slate, ridge parallel to the street) with roof turret, above the middle bay rising higher with a stepped gable. Cross and cloister frames. Round arched door under a curved drip moulding with oval fanlight, to the right of this a niche with a statue of Saint Joseph. Hedge garden with a round arched gate in a modified style on the street side. Source: PLOMTEUX G., STEYAERT R. & WYLLEMAN L. 1985: Inventory of cultural heritage in Belgium, Architecture, Province of Antwerp, District of Antwerp, Building through the ages in Flanders 10n2 (Ho-Ra), Brussels - Ghent. Authors: Steyaert, Rita Date: 1985 The text is provided by: Agency for Immovable Heritage (AOE)

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