Sint-Pauluskerk

Sint-Pauluskerk is the parish church of Opwijk, a small town in the Flemish Brabant province of Belgium, standing on Singel street. Dedicated to Saint Paul, it has served for centuries as the town's religious and architectural centerpiece.

How did religious life begin at this site?

The story of sacred presence in Opwijk goes back to the early Middle Ages, when a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity was built in the hamlet of Klei. The first church bearing Saint Paul's name functioned as a castle chapel belonging to the stronghold of Ingersbrugge, an old name once used for Opwijk itself. In 1108 the right of patronage over the church passed to the Our Lady Chapter of Dendermonde, and by 1212 the same chapter had also acquired the tithe rights over the surrounding lands. These early records show how closely the local religious community was tied to larger ecclesiastical bodies of the region as far back as the twelfth century.

Why was the church moved to the town center?

During the twelfth century, the center of the settlement shifted to what is now the heart of Opwijk, and a new church under the same dedication to Saint Paul was raised there. Construction proceeded in several building phases, reaching its architectural form between roughly 1410 and 1420. The builders used lime sandstone, a material characteristic of Gothic religious construction throughout this part of the Southern Netherlands.

What survived the destruction of the sixteenth century?

The year 1579 marked a turning point for Opwijk and its church. Both the village and the building were destroyed during the campaigns of the Gueux, rebels who fought against Spanish rule in the Low Countries amid the religious and political conflicts of the period. Reconstruction did not follow immediately — work only resumed between 1596 and 1605, restoring the church to use. Despite the destruction, some of the oldest architectural fabric survived: the choir, the crossing tower, and the transept arms still date from the early Brabantine Gothic period of the early fifteenth century. These elements let visitors trace the outline of the original medieval structure even today.

What changed in the centuries that followed?

Around 1600 the church underwent a further rebuilding phase, during which parts of the three-aisled nave were reconstructed — fragments of that work remain in place today. The building therefore layers a medieval Gothic core with elements added during the early modern reconstruction that followed the wartime destruction. This kind of layering is typical of many parish churches in the region that endured the turbulent centuries of religious warfare in the Low Countries.

What did the most recent restoration involve?

Between 1979 and 1982 the church underwent a thorough, comprehensive restoration, carried out under the pastorate of Emiel Deschryver. The work aimed to protect and conserve both the older Gothic sections of the building and those added during the early modern rebuilding, so that the church could continue serving its religious function while preserving its historical value for the people of Opwijk.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the church in Opwijk dedicated to? It is dedicated to Saint Paul, which gives the building its name, Sint-Pauluskerk.

Which parts of the church are the oldest surviving elements? The choir, the crossing tower, and the transept arms date from the early Brabantine Gothic period, built between 1410 and 1420.

What happened to the church in 1579? It was destroyed along with the rest of the village during the campaigns of the Gueux, rebels who fought against Spanish rule in the Low Countries.

When was the last major restoration carried out? Between 1979 and 1982, under the pastorate of Emiel Deschryver.