Église Notre-Dame de la Visitation de Villers-la-Ville, Romanesque church in Villers-la-Ville, Belgium.
The Église Notre-Dame de la Visitation is a Romanesque church distinguished by a square tower with walls thicker than three feet (1 meter) and a conical-roofed turret on its south side. The building follows an unconventional layout where the chancel points north instead of the traditional east direction.
The church rests on foundations laid in the 13th century, though its distinctive Romanesque tower was built earlier between the 11th and 12th centuries. This early tower remains one of the oldest architectural features, showing how the building evolved over several centuries.
The interior holds two carved wooden altarpieces from the 15th and 16th centuries that show religious craftsmanship rooted in the region's artistic traditions. A stone funeral monument to the Marbais family inside traces the presence of local families who shaped the community over time.
You can enter through the parish office or visit the building at 28 Sart Street when the priest is not available. It helps to check ahead or arrive during known opening hours, as access may be limited at certain times.
The building features a rare north-facing chancel instead of the typical east-facing orientation, an oddity you notice immediately when visiting. This uncommon alignment is highlighted by two rounded windows in the semicircular apse.
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