Maria Magdalenakerk

Maria Magdalenakerk is the parish church of Eizer, a hamlet within the municipality of Overijse in Flemish Brabant. It stands along Duisburgsesteenweg, in the part of Eizer known as Laag-Eizer, right next to the cemetery that borders the building. It's one of the modest, rural churches typical of the Druivenstreek area — built relatively late, once the local community finally obtained its own independent parish.

Why did Eizer need its own church?

Until 1873, the people of Eizer had no parish of their own — they belonged administratively to neighboring communities, and services were held in a small chapel, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Nood, in the Hoog-Eizer hamlet, which at the time still fell under the municipality of Duisburg. In 1873, Eizer finally became an independent parish with its own pastor, whose first task was to secure the construction of a proper, permanent church. Six years later, in 1879, the Hoog-Eizer hamlet was formally attached to the Eizer parish, unifying the whole surrounding area under a single religious community.

What happened before the current church was built?

Before the present brick church existed, a temporary church dedicated to Saint Rochus and Saint Charles Borromeo was erected in 1876 to serve the young parish while plans for a permanent building were being worked out. Construction of the definitive church ran from 1889 to 1893. The tower, however, was left unfinished for another four decades — it only reached its final form in 1933. Such a long gap between the completion of the main body of a church and its tower was not unusual for the period: rural parishes typically depended on local fundraising, which could stretch a single building project out over decades.

Who designed it, and in what style?

The church was designed by architect Eugène Carpentier in the neogothic style, a highly popular choice for new parish churches across 19th-century Belgium. The building is a single-nave, brick, cross-shaped church with a front tower on its western side. The interior continues the same neogothic language as the exterior, giving the whole building a coherent, unified character — typical of churches from this era, where exterior and interior design were conceived together.

What surrounds the church today?

Directly behind the church lies a cemetery, closely tied to the building's history as the parish's burial ground — a common arrangement for rural churches in this region, where the cemetery was placed right next to the main place of worship.

How can visitors see Maria Magdalenakerk today?

The church remains an active parish church and is open to visitors during set hours: Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00, with Thursday additionally open from 13:00 to 18:00, and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00. For questions about visiting or parish matters, the church can be reached by phone at +32 2 731 94 70.

Frequently asked questions

Is Maria Magdalenakerk an old church? Not compared to many other churches in the region — the building dates from the late 19th century, and its tower wasn't completed until 1933.

What architectural style does the church represent? Neogothic, both in its exterior massing and its interior.

Is there a cemetery next to the church? Yes, directly behind the building.

Where exactly is the church located? Along Duisburgsesteenweg, in the Laag-Eizer part of Eizer, within the municipality of Overijse.