The Sint-Anna Church is a Roman Catholic church in Sint-Anna-Pede

Sint-Anna-Pede

Sint-Anna-Pede is a village in Itterbeek, which is a deelgemeente of Dilbeek. It gets its name from the Pedebeek, the stream that flows through the village....

 in Dilbeek

Dilbeek

Dilbeek is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the villages of Dilbeek proper, Groot-Bijgaarden, Itterbeek , Schepdaal , Sint-Martens-Bodegem, and Sint-Ulriks-Kapelle...

), Belgium. It is depicted on The Blind Leading the Blind

The Blind Leading the Blind

The Blind Leading the Blind is an oil painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, dating from 1568 and housed in the Capodimonte Museum, Naples, southern Italy. Other titles include Blind and The Parable of the Blind....

by Pieter Breughel the Elder.

History

The church was built around 1250. Founded by the Beguine convent of Brussels. It is mentioned in apud Pede juxta nova capella (at Pede near the new chappel).

The nave of the church was erected in the 16th century. In the 17th century, the church was renovated in a Gothic style, with the addition of a rib vault.

The church and surroundings were protected in 1948.

Architecture

The Sint-Anna Church is built in sandstone, combined with layers of bricks. It has both Roman and Gothic architectural characteristics.

The church is situated in the middle of a former cemetery and is surrounded by a copse of trees.

The Blind leading the Blind

The Sint-Anna Church is displayed in the painting The Blind leading the Blind by Pieter Breughel the Elder.
The painting shows six blind men walking past the Pedebeek. The first one has already fallen and is lying in the stream. The second one tries to keep his balance, but starts to fall anyway. In his fall, he drags the third one with him. The last three did not noticed..

According to a local legend, the painter lived at the time in the small castle that is also depicted on the painting.