Church of Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg
Encyclopedia
The Church of Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg (French
) or Sint-Jacob-op-Koudenberg (Dutch
) is a neoclassical church located in the historic square of Place Royale
in central Brussels
, Belgium
.
. The new church was built in line with rue Montagne de la Cour/Hofberg on its present location at the Place Royale
. Construction of the facade was started by architect Gilles-Barnabé Guimard
after the designs of Jean-Benoît-Vincent Barré
(1775). The first stone was solemnly laid by Charles Alexander of Lorraine on the 12th of February 1776. The portico
was finished in 1780. The nave, transept, choir and sacristy were built under supervision of Louis Montoyer
in the years 1785-1786. After the consacration of the building it was in use as abbey- and parishchurch at the same time. Moreover it was the official church of the court of the Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
.
The present building was designed to serve as the Church of the Abbey of Saint-Jacques on the Coudenberg and therefore has a deep extended choir with place for choir stalls for the monks.
During the French Revolution
, the abbey was suspended and the church was made into a Temple of Reason
, and then later into a Temple of Law. The church was returned to Catholic
control in 1802. On July 21, 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha took the oath that made him H.M. Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, on the front steps of the church. The building lost somewhat of its typical neoclassical temple-like appearance by the addition in the 19th-century of a bell tower (after the design of Tilman-François Suys
) and a coloured fresco
by Jean Portaels on the pediment.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) or Sint-Jacob-op-Koudenberg (Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) is a neoclassical church located in the historic square of Place Royale
Place Royale (Brussels)
The Place Royale or Koningsplein is a historic square near the center of Brussels, Belgium.-History:...
in central Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
History
The medieval abbey church that originally stood on this location was demolished by command of Charles Alexander of Lorraine during his expansive urban planning projects, despite having escaped the great fire of 1731 that destroyed the nearby Coudenberg PalaceCoudenberg
Coudenberg or Koudenberg is a small hill in Brussels where the Palace of Coudenberg was built.For nearly 700 years, the Castle and then the Palace of Coudenberg were the seat of government of the counts, dukes, archdukes, kings, emperors and governors who from the 11th century until its...
. The new church was built in line with rue Montagne de la Cour/Hofberg on its present location at the Place Royale
Place Royale (Brussels)
The Place Royale or Koningsplein is a historic square near the center of Brussels, Belgium.-History:...
. Construction of the facade was started by architect Gilles-Barnabé Guimard
Gilles-Barnabé Guimard
Gilles-Barnabé Guimard was a French architect. He spent his entire career in the Habsburg Netherlands where he led important architectural and urbanistic projects such as the Place Royale in Brussels and the new 'Palace of the Council of Brabant' which today houses the Belgian...
after the designs of Jean-Benoît-Vincent Barré
Jean-Benoît-Vincent Barré
Jean Benoît Vincent Barré was a French architect. He was one of the most important architects of the 18th century and one of the creators of the 'Louis XVI style' of architecture.-Biography:...
(1775). The first stone was solemnly laid by Charles Alexander of Lorraine on the 12th of February 1776. The portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
was finished in 1780. The nave, transept, choir and sacristy were built under supervision of Louis Montoyer
Louis Montoyer
Louis Montoyer was an 18th century Belgian-Austrian architect, principally active in Brussels and Vienna.-Life:...
in the years 1785-1786. After the consacration of the building it was in use as abbey- and parishchurch at the same time. Moreover it was the official church of the court of the Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
The Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands ruled the Habsburg Netherlands as a representative of the Duke of Burgundy .- Habsburg Netherlands :...
.
The present building was designed to serve as the Church of the Abbey of Saint-Jacques on the Coudenberg and therefore has a deep extended choir with place for choir stalls for the monks.
During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the abbey was suspended and the church was made into a Temple of Reason
Temple of Reason
The Temple of Reason was, during the French Revolution, a temple for a new belief system created to replace Christianity: the Cult of Reason, which were based on the ideals of atheism and humanocentrism...
, and then later into a Temple of Law. The church was returned to Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
control in 1802. On July 21, 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha took the oath that made him H.M. Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, on the front steps of the church. The building lost somewhat of its typical neoclassical temple-like appearance by the addition in the 19th-century of a bell tower (after the design of Tilman-François Suys
Tilman-François Suys
Tilman-François Suys or Tieleman Frans Suys , was a Belgian architect who also worked in the Netherlands....
) and a coloured fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
by Jean Portaels on the pediment.