Saint Martin’s Church

sacramentstoren van Hiëronymus Du Quesnoy De Oude

KIK-IRPA

Priester Daensplein, Aalst

There are not many places outside a museum setting where you can still admire a real Rubens. Sint-Martinuskerk in Aalst, however, has one the highlights of his oeuvre on display and not to forget the other Flemish masterpiece: a brilliantly shimmering altar cover embellished with silver threads and gold embroidery.

Saint Martin’s Church

Construction of the Gothic Sint-Martinuskerk started with the oldest part, the chancel, in the late 15th century and continued until 1660. In the 1800s the church, which had until then been the only parish church in Aalst, was restored in neo-Gothic style. The medieval murals were rediscovered later on. Major repairs were carried out following a fire in 1947. The church is currently undergoing restoration but it is still open to visitors.

Christ Appointing Saint Roch as Patron Saint of Plague Victims - Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

Rubens completed this canvas in 1626, at the height of his career when he was commissioned by the Guild of Hop and Grain Merchants in Aalst. Saint Roch was their patron saint. The dramatic canvas shows him being appointed by Christ as the patron saint of plague victims, who are visible at the bottom of the painting. In fact Saint Roch caught the plague himself. He retreated to a forest, where a dog brought him bread every day. He reportedly died in prison in his hometown of Montpellier. In October 2023 this artwork was moved to a restoration workshop untill 2026 and will no longer be on display in the church.

De heilige Rochus door Christus aangesteld tot patroon van de pestlijders

Publiek Domein

KIK-IRPA

Tabernacle tower by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder (1570-1641)

This 8m-high tabernacle tower was made in 1604 by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder, world-famous for his little statue Manneken Pis. This tabernacle tower is one of his remaining works that bear witness to his mastery. When the tower was tackled as part of the restoration work at the church, it transpired that the limestone sculptures had at some point been painted in semi-grisaille, a technique whereby several grey tones are combined with touches of colour. The original aspect of the tower must have been much more colourful than thought. In the end, it was decided not to remove all the white paint, but to show in a few places what the sculptures must originally have looked like.

Het Sacramentshuis van Cornelis II Floris (detail)

Saskia Vanderstichele - Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen

The Last Judgement

An original 16th century mural depicting the Last Judgement was discovered here in the former chapter house of Sint-Martinuskerk in 1875. It is not clear exactly what this space was used for, why this scene was painted here and who the artist was. What is known is that the mural was applied in tempera, a combination of pigment and eggs. The image shows Christ seated on a rainbow and globe surrounded by Mary, John and several apostles. The judgement itself is depicted in the centre with a division between good (angel) and evil (demons, monsters, nudes). The Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage conducted a preliminary examination of the work in 2017, which revealed that the mural is in good condition and has retained its quasi-authentic character to this day. However, a glossy and darkened layer of varnish and a considerable build-up of surface dirt had significantly affected the aesthetic quality of the artwork and they were consequently removed and retouched by Altri Tempi in the autumn of 2023

KIK-IRPA, Brussel, www.kikirpa.be

Saint Simon Stock Receiving the Scapular from Our Lady - Gaspar de Crayer (1584-1669)

The altarpiece of Saint Simon Stock Receiving the Scapular from Our Lady was moved to Saint Martin's Church in 1805. Gaspar de Crayer’s work originally hung in the Carmelite church, as Simon Stock was their abbot and according to legend Mary gave him a scapular which gave his order the privilege of wearing their habit after death to protect them in Purgatory. De Crayer’s composition lets us witness the exact moment at which Mary hands over the scapular. Above the altar, we can see a chronogram: hac cruce redemptor or ‘The cross of the Saviour’, which also forms the letters CCVDM or 1805 in Roman numerals, i.e. the year in which the altarpiece was moved.

altaar van de Heilige Simon Stock die de scapulier ontvangt uit de handen van de Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Gaspar de Crayer

Gert Swillens

Publiek Domein

Practical information

Address

Priester Daensplein

9300 Aalst

Belgium

View directions

Opening hours

From 1 April to 30 October, open Monday to Sunday from 09.00 to 17.00 hrs.
From 1 November to 31 March, open Monday to Sunday from 09.00 to 16.00 hrs.

Accessibility

Easy access for people with disabilities.

Good to know

Admission: free
Sint-Martinuskerk will be the subject of a major restoration project until 2027,
as a result of which certain parts of the church will occasionally be inaccessible.
The painting of Rubens isn't visible due to a major restauration untill 2026.