Sint-Laurentiuskerk, Religious monument in Lokeren, Belgium.
Sint-Laurentiuskerk is a church in Lokeren that combines classicism, baroque and Gothic architectural styles. The structure features a central nave flanked by side aisles and houses various historical artworks and furnishings within its walls.
The church was destroyed by fire in 1719 and rebuilt to its current form around 1725, incorporating elements from earlier structures. This reconstruction blended past traditions with building techniques of the time.
The church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, whose life, calling, diaconate and martyrdom are shown in medallions placed in 1897 by J. De Cuyper near the side altar in the right transept. On the left side, his medallions depict the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The 1736 pulpit by Theodoor Verhaegen of Mechelen shows the twelve-year-old Jesus among the scribes.
The church stands on Kerkplein by the Grote Markt, with the monumental entrance portal cut in bluestone at the base of the west tower. The nave is a pseudobasilica: a wide central aisle with two lower side aisles, so the side chapels and altars are reached directly from the main aisle. The tower rises 67 m in natural stone, extended to 71 m by a 4 m spire under a gilded metal sphere.
The carillon of 49 bells was inaugurated by King Baudouin in 1956. In 1944 a German bomb struck the west side of the tower, leaving only a shallow dent in the stone facade. The tower itself reaches 67 metres, extended to 71 metres by a 4-metre spire topped with a gilded metal sphere.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,353 contributors worldwide.