Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Poelkerk, Gothic church on the Grote Markt in Tienen, Belgium
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Poelkerk is a Gothic church on the Grote Markt of Tienen, built of pale Gobertange limestone with added stone from Zichem, Namur and Mézières. Its square crossing tower, about 70 metres high, carries a baroque spire from 1654-1660 with four corner pinnacles and a small lantern. Because the nave was never built, the tower serves as a west tower above the deep pointed entrance portal.
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 nave was never built, so the 70-metre crossing tower has served as a kind of west tower since the 15th century. The choir collapsed during vaulting and was rebuilt by Matthijs de Layens between 1465 and 1470. In 2002 the cross and rooster were put back on the tower after decades of absence.
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