Church of St. Clare

The Church of St. Clare stands in the northern part of Jette, one of the municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, at Joseph De Heynstraat 102, between Avenue de l'Arbre Ballon and Avenue de l'Exposition. This Roman Catholic church was built between 1966 and 1967 to a design by architects J. Desmedt and W. Lateir, and its shape still stands out against the surrounding residential blocks.

What does the architecture look like?

The building is a product of 1960s modernism, deliberately avoiding the ornamentation typical of older churches. It is a plain, box-shaped structure in brick, topped with a flat roof — there is no traditional bell tower here. Alongside brick, concrete is the dominant material, visible both outside and inside, where it appears together with wood. A wide staircase leads to the entrance, above which rises a tall concrete cross — the main visual focal point of the whole complex, visible from a distance and serving as a local landmark in this part of the neighborhood.

What can be found inside?

The interior continues the austerity of the exterior: the structural materials — concrete, brick, and wood — are left exposed and form the main aesthetic feature, without the additional decorative layers common in older churches. A notable part of the furnishings is the organ dating from 1976, built by Patrick Collon, a Belgian organ builder whose instruments can be found in a number of churches across the region.

What is the current condition of the church?

The Church of St. Clare is today in an advanced state of deterioration and is no longer used for liturgical celebrations. The Diocese of Mechelen-Brussels has decided to demolish the building, while maintaining a place of worship in the northern part of the Jette municipality — meaning the parish community will not disappear, though the building itself is unlikely to survive in its current form for much longer.

Where exactly is it located?

The church stands in the northern part of Jette, near Avenue de l'Arbre Ballon/Dikke-Beuklaan and Avenue de l'Exposition/Tentoonstellingslaan, in a quiet, mostly residential area away from central Brussels' tourist hubs.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Church of St. Clare built? Between 1966 and 1967, designed by architects J. Desmedt and W. Lateir.

Are services still held there? No — the building is in poor technical condition and is no longer used for liturgical celebrations; a decision has been made to demolish it.

What architectural style does the building represent? Modernism — a plain, box-shaped brick-and-concrete structure with a flat roof, no tower, and a distinctive concrete cross above the entrance staircase.

What is worth seeing inside? The exposed structural materials (concrete, brick, wood) and the 1976 organ built by Patrick Collon.

Where exactly is the church located? At Joseph De Heynstraat 102, in the northern part of Jette, a municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region.