Church of St. Gilles

Church of St. Gilles (French: Église Saint-Gilles, Dutch: Sint-Gilliskerk) is a neo-Romanesque parish church standing on the Parvis de Saint-Gilles (Sint-Gillisvoorplein), right at the heart of the Saint-Gilles / Sint-Gillis municipality, just south of central Brussels. While the parish itself traces back to the early 13th century, the building visitors see today only dates from the second half of the 19th century.

How did the parish come to be?

The story begins in 1216, when Henry I, Duke of Brabant and Lotharingia, granted the small settlement its own parish status and allowed its inhabitants to build a church of their own. The church was dedicated to Saint Giles the Hermit, giving its name both to the building and to the district that grew up around it over the following centuries.

Why did the original church disappear?

That first, medieval church did not survive into the modern era. In 1578, the local inhabitants themselves destroyed it, so that it could not be used by Spanish troops then besieging Brussels — a defensive decision reflecting the turbulent religious and political conflicts of the time in the Low Countries. A new church was begun on the same spot in 1595 and served the parish for the next several decades.

What changed in the 19th century?

The real turning point came with the rapid population growth of Saint-Gilles in the second half of the 19th century. As Brussels expanded beyond its old city walls, this suburb attracted increasing numbers of residents, and the existing church could no longer accommodate the growing congregation. Local authorities decided to demolish the older building in 1868 and replace it with a much larger one.

Who designed the current building?

The design for the new church was drawn up in 1862 by the architect and urban planner Victor Besme. Construction ran from 1866 to 1878, and the building was raised on a basilical plan, in a neo-Romanesque style inspired by the architecture of the Poitou region in France. The church was formally consecrated on 12 April 1880.

What does the church's architecture look like?

The main facade, facing the Parvis de Saint-Gilles, was built entirely in Savonnières stone, while the rest of the structure is simpler brickwork, with blue stone reserved for lintels and sills. The facade's composition reflects the tripartite layout of the interior — a taller central nave flanked by lower side aisles — and its rhythm is marked by buttresses topped with pierced pinnacle turrets, typical of the neo-Romanesque idiom.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the oldest church in Saint-Gilles? The parish dates back to 1216, but the current building was constructed between 1866 and 1878 — earlier churches on the site no longer exist.

Why was the previous church torn down? Because of the rapid population growth Saint-Gilles experienced during the 19th century, which made the older building too small for the parish.

Who designed the present church? The architect Victor Besme, also known for his urban planning work shaping the development of Brussels' suburbs.

Where exactly does the church stand? On the Parvis de Saint-Gilles (Sint-Gillisvoorplein), at the central point of the Saint-Gilles / Sint-Gillis municipality, on the edge of Brussels itself.