Built between the second half of the 14th century and the mid-16th century, Saints-Pierre-et-Guidon/Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guido Collegiate Church is a remarkable Brabantine Gothic edifice. A number of renowned master craftsmen left their mark on the building: the choir was designed by Jean Van Ruysbroeck, who also created the tower of Brussels Town Hall; the porch is the work of Louis Van Boghem, the architect behind the Royal Monastery of Brou; and the porch tower and the chapel dedicated to St Guy are by Mathieu III Keldermans. The church was restored by Jules-Jacques Van Ysendyck from 1874 to 1898; he also built the spire at the top of the square tower. Erected in the centre of the then village of Anderlecht, the church was intended for large gatherings, hence its size. For centuries, it was a major place of pilgrimage, with thousands of the faithful converging there at Pentecost. Under the Ancien Régime (the period under French rule before the French Revolution), a horse race was held around the building. There will be a rare opportunity for visitors to access the roof structure as well as the Romanesque crypt, which contains four columns said to be from a Roman villa.

(Listed 25/10/1938)