Saint Hadelin Church, Romanesque church in Celles, Belgium.
Saint Hadelin Church is a Romanesque church in Celles with a defensive tower, whitewashed walls, and four crypts beneath the floor. The interior features five naves divided by quadrangular stone pillars supporting a wooden ceiling.
The church was built in the 11th century and holds a 7th-century crypt beneath the choir containing Merovingian sarcophagi. A second crypt from the 12th century houses stone tombs of local noble families.
The church keeps wooden choir stalls from the 13th century where canons used to sit, along with baptismal fonts and many religious statues from medieval times. These objects show how spiritual life actually worked in this place.
Visits are by arrangement, and you should contact the local tourism office to find out about access and available tour times. The church sits in an easy-to-reach location in Celles, a small village in the region.
The western crypt displays a rare architectural change where columns were replaced by ribbed vaulting in the 16th century to modernize the space. This alteration shows how the building evolved over time without losing its original character.
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