Church of St. Augustine, Art Deco church in Forest, Belgium.
Church of St. Augustine is a religious building in the Art Deco style located in Forest, Belgium, constructed from reinforced concrete. It features a Greek cross floor plan within a circular form and reaches a height of 54 meters.
A chapel dedicated to Saint Augustine, built in Forest in the early 20th century, soon proved too small. In 1908 a larger church was planned for the centre of the Place de l'Altitude Cent, where eight arteries converge. The 1913 neo-Romanesque design was abandoned after World War I; in 1931 Léon Guiannotte took charge and adopted Art Deco. Built in reinforced concrete from 1933 to 1935, it was consecrated by Cardinal Van Roey on Easter Monday, 25 March 1935, with finishing work continuing until 1950.
The church is dedicated to Saint Augustine, whose name it bears. Inside, the Passion of Christ cycle in relief on the west side is what gives the ensemble much of its Art Deco character, combining concrete structure with refined wall sculpture. The building stands at the centre of the Place de l'Altitude Cent, where eight major arteries of the district converge.
The church stands at the centre of the Place de l'Altitude Cent, where eight major arteries of the district converge, near Duden Park and the Chaussée d'Alsemberg. The bell tower is supported by four pillars and opens onto a 37-metre-high panoramic platform. The building was restored to its initial state between 1996 and 1998 after water had rusted the concrete's metal reinforcements.
The bell tower is supported by four pillars at the crossing of the nave and transept and is open on the inside. Its panoramic platform stands 37 metres above the square, while the cross on top reaches 54 metres. The square itself is named for its altitude of one hundred metres above sea level.
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