St. Quentin Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in Hasselt, Belgium.
St. Quentin Cathedral is a Gothic brick and stone church in central Hasselt. Its red brick facade has a large pointed-arch window and a statue niche above the portal, while the tall tower combines a pale stone lower shaft with two louvered pointed-arch windows, a dark slate spire, a white-railed gallery and a gold clock face.
Excavations revealed traces of a 9th-century wooden church on the site. The tower's lower shaft, built of iron sandstone, dates from the 11th century, while the present church is two centuries younger. In 1567 iconoclasts destroyed the tabernacle, statues, side altars and high altar. Lightning struck the spire in 1725, and the current spire was placed that same year.
The cathedral displays frescoes painted by local artist Godfried Guffens on its interior walls. These are complemented by religious artworks that came from the nearby Herkenrode Abbey.
The cathedral is located in central Hasselt and is easy to reach on foot. It opens regularly for visitors and functions as an active place of worship, so visiting times may vary depending on events.
The tower's lower shaft is built of iron-sandstone, while the upper section uses marl from the 13th century. A lightning strike on 14 May 1725 destroyed the spire, bell carillon and organ; the present spire was placed the same year. The tower stands 62 metres tall and carries a clock from 1911.
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