Marble Pulpit - Zonnebeke, Belgium - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

When entering the church you will find the pulpit on the left side of the aisle. The pulpit has the words "De Waarheid" (the truth) on it. Furthermore, you see the 10 commandments and the words
"Bemint God bovenal en uw naaste als u zelven" (Love God above all and your neighbor as yourself)

About the church:
"This church was partly built after WWI on the foundations of the former abbey church of the Augustinian Abbey. The abbey was already closed in the 18th century.

The Church of Our Lady can be seen as the first modernist church in Belgium, designed by the Bruges architect Huib Hoste. The church is built of brick. Yet it is mainly typified by the use of reinforced concrete in the roof construction and the cubist formal language.

Construction of the church
Immediately after approval of the design and some minor adjustments, construction of the church began. This was in the late summer of 1921. The brickwork took two years to complete, so that the concrete truss could not be poured until September 1923. When the wooden formwork was removed, the main arch above the chancel cracked. Instead of demolishing the shell, Hoste had an engineer come from Liège. Steel tie rods held the side walls together.

Fatal accident
In April 1924, a fatal accident occurred in the church tower outside working hours. Six people lost their lives. Hoste left the construction site early due to the accident and a dispute with the municipality. The termination of the collaboration also translated to the interior. Hoste envisioned a sober interpretation and designed some of the furniture himself.

In addition, the master builder called on the sculptor Jules Fonteyne. Fonteyne was responsible for, among other things, the figurative stained glass windows in the transept, the twelve statues of the apostles and the calvary above the main altar.

After Hoste's departure, the pastor had others carry out the rest of the furnishing, completely against the plans of the architect. The new church was inaugurated that same year.

Viewpoint
The church tower is freely accessible as a viewpoint and contains an exhibition about the ever-changing landscape. More information can be found in the walking guide “Zonnebeke rises again, what after the Great War”. This booklet can be purchased at the Zonnebeke Tourism Office."

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Approximate Age of Artefact: Not listed Relevant Website: Not listed

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