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Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude, Nivelles

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The Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude (French: Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude) is a Roman Catholic collegiate church in Nivelles, Walloon Brabant, Belgium, which was built in the 11th century. It is dedicated to Saint Gertude, the patron saint of cats.

Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude
French: Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude
Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude
Map
50°35′51″N 4°19′24″E / 50.59750°N 4.32333°E / 50.59750; 4.32333
LocationNivelles, Walloon Brabant
CountryBelgium
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusCollegiate church
DedicationSaint Gertude
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural typeChurch
Completed1049 (abbey church)
Administration
DioceseLiège
Clergy
ArchbishopJozef De Kesel
(Primate of Belgium)

History

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This church was built to serve Nivelles Abbey, originally a monastery of Benedictine nuns founded by Itta of Metz, the widow of Pepin of Landen, and mother of Gertrude of Nivelles, the first abbess, in the 7th century. Her remains are buried in a chapel of the church. This structure was built in the early 11th century and consecrated in 1046 by Wazo, Bishop of Liège, in the presence of the Emperor Henry III. It is an example both of Mosan art and of Ottonian architecture.

With the growing membership of members of the nobility among the nuns starting in the 12th century, the community gradually changed its character from its monastic one until it had become a community of canonesses regular by the 15th century, at the latest. At that point, the church acquired its status of collegiate church.

Claudine Donnay-Rocmans writes in the Patrimoine majeur de Wallonie that the interior dimensions recall: "the splendour of the Ottonian liturgy, as people are able to know it from the Abbey of Essen (Germany)".[1]

The westwork has been reconstructed. Its current appearance is the result of a long reconstruction finished in 1984, following severe damage from bombing by the German Luftwaffe in May 1940, in the course of the Battle of Belgium.

Noble Canonesses of Nivelles

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A noble canonesse of Nivelles

The noble chapter of the canonesses regular became very known and had important privileges. Most of the noble canonesses were daughters of important families.

Burials

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  •  
    The westwork
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    Facade and southern door
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    Nave of the church

References

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  1. ^ Patrimoine majeur de Wallonie, Namur, 1993, p. 45. ISBN 2-87401-015-4
  2. ^ Den grooten Brugschen almanak: benevens het hof van syne koninglycke hoogheyt Charles Alexander ... : Voor het schrickel-jaer./ by Petrus de Sloovere
  3. ^ Jean Charles Joseph de Vegiano, Suite du supplément au Nobiliaire des Pays-Bas et du comté de Bourgogne, Volumes 3-4
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