Programme

Self-guided tour

Saint-Roch Church

A. de Ville de Goyet © urban.brussels

Saint-Roch/Sint-Rochus Church replaced an old 19th-century church designed by the architect Raymaekers and demolished in 1972 as part of the Manhattan Plan. It is unusual in having been converted from a former warehouse in the north of the city. Given its location in an industrial district, the church was dedicated to St Roch (or Rock), the patron saint of iron and metal workers. For 25 years, pending a new place of worship, the Catholic community held services in this warehouse. It was finally converted into a church in 1993, by architect Vincent Dupont of Atelier de Bruxelles. It was consecrated by the Archbishop of Mechelen–Brussels, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, in 1995. The new building is very postmodernist in style, featuring a long polychrome nave made up of orange bricks alternating with bands of red bricks and blue stones. It is covered by a quarter-circle zinc roof resting on a long rear glass strip that illuminates the side aisle. Its façade is also decorated with a series of stained-glass windows dated ‘1995’ and bearing the signature of master glassmaker Pierre Majerus. The entrance to the church is behind a detached brick façade acting as a porch. Featuring indented motifs, it is punctuated by a wide semicircular arch housing a cylindrical staircase turret. At the front, an esplanade adorned with trees runs along the side of the road.

Practical information

Sat. 10:00 to 18:00 & Sun. 14:00 to 18:00

Chaussée d’Anvers/Antwerpsesteenweg 60, BE-1000 Brussels

Advance booking not required.

Accessible

Accessible