Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Poelkerk, Gothic church in Tienen, Belgium.
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Poelkerk is a Gothic church in Tienen featuring a square crossing tower topped by a baroque spire. Its facade displays three deeply recessed portals framed by solid buttresses that create visual depth and strength.
Construction started in 1358 under architect Jean d'Oisy, who designed the choir and southern chapel using limestone from regional quarries. This initial phase established the Gothic structure that visitors see today.
The church's name comes from a 12th-century legend about a man killed in a pond, where a woman foretold that a religious building would stand there someday. This story shaped how local people understood the place's spiritual purpose.
Visitors can walk through the interior to explore the 19th-century organ and its crafted details. Access is typically available, though it is best to check specific opening times before planning your visit.
The original design included a nave that was never constructed due to financial constraints, resulting in an unusual spatial arrangement that defines the building today. This incomplete vision shapes how the structure feels when you walk through it.
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