The city of Ghent has too beautiful parish churches and places of worship not to enter one. Because a church is cultural heritage that helps determine the appearance and atmosphere of the city, whether one is religious or not. But today, in addition to once active churches, the city also contains monasteries and other sacred buildings that have recently been given a new purpose. From circus school or exhibition space to charming hotel and art gallery to even... supermarket.
In this article we describe a number of surprising repurposing uses for abandoned and deconsecrated places of worship and worship.
GALLERY ST-JOHN – NIEUWPOORT 2
Do you like antiques or are you looking for an old painting, a rare old book or an art object for your interior? Then this beautiful Ghent baroque chapel, in the shadow of St. Jacob's Church, is the place where you will find it. The owners have been traveling throughout Europe for more than 30 years in search of rare collection items. And what this produces shows a deep passion for art and antiques.
The building has a history that goes back almost a millennium. In its current state it was designed and built in 1748 by master builder Bernard De Wilde, with a typical Ghent Baroque facade. But before this reconstruction it was a house of worship and hospital. The poor and mentally ill have been cared for here since the 12th century. In the 19th century, the chapel became a place of worship for the Ghent Anglican community, and was thus renamed St-John's Church. This is where the art gallery got its name.
NORBERTINEN CHAPEL – DRONGENHOF 2 (PATERSHOL)
After the destruction of their abbey in Drongen in the 16th century, the Premonstratensians built this late Gothic chapel, which until then functioned as a refuge, into a temporary abbey until the end of the 17th century. Under the French occupation it became a warehouse.
Today it has been given a more beautiful destination within the framework of the 'Drongenhofkapel' project, which brings together a number of works of art by three well-known Ghent artists – Dirk Braeckman, Berlinde De Bruyckere and Wim Delvoye – in addition to other art forms. This project wants to invite art forms into a dialogue that should move the visitor in this tranquil space in an intense way.
KUNSTHAL GHENT – LANGESTEENSTRAAT 14
Between the thirteenth-century walls of the former Caermersklooster in the heart of the Patershol, you will find Kunsthal Gent: an international development and presentation platform for contemporary art.
During the weekend, Kunsthal Gent is a showcase for visual arts, during the week it is a workplace for artists and artistic organizations. Emerging, established, local and international names are our guests. They present their work in exhibitions or develop their artistic practice there. You can find the program on the visit.gent.be site
RESTAURANT PARNASSUS – OLD HOUTLEI 122
In the Franciscan Church on the Oude Houtlei, Parnassus offers a healthy lunch, tasty and not expensive. Parnassus is a social employment project of the non-profit organization Ateljee. People with a reduced chance on the labor market are employed there. You can choose from a daily special, a vegetarian dish or put together your own meal at the buffet. Thursday is always a veggie day. You have been warned!
SAINT MACHARIUS CHURCH – CHEERS STREET
This church is located at the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt in the Macharius-Heirnis district of St. Bavo's Abbey and not far from the Portus Ganda marina. It is a neo-Gothic cross basilica built in bluestone and red brick. In 2014, the church was adapted to the needs of modern times. Today, concerts, lectures, exhibitions and lectures take place in the church in consultation with local associations such as the Neighbors of the Abbey. No masses have been held in the church since 2017.
MONASTERIUM POORTACKERE – OLD WOODLEI 56
Sleep like a monk in a medieval monastery? It's possible: simply book your stay at Monasterium PoortAckere as an alternative to a classic hotel or B&B.
The monastery is a real oasis of silence, lost in the whirlpool of the noisy city! The history of the intimate monastery dates back to the year 1278. What was a hidden monastery for centuries, today reveals its secrets. The atmosphere is charming, fitting within the simplicity of a neo-Gothic building... but it is equipped with a charging point for electric cars! You can reserve a room at Hotel Monasterium PoortAckere online on the visit.gent.be site or via www.monasterium.be.
CIRCUS CHURCH MALEM – OUD-STRIJDERSLAAN 1
The Malem church was built in the mid-1950s in the middle of the Malem social housing area. This church and the adjacent school were the heart of Catholic social life. A remarkable fact because Malem was once a slum, where mainly workers and socialist workers lived.
The parish church called Our Lady Queen of Peace, built in a typical rural neo-Romanesque style, was given a new destination by the city of Ghent in 2014. The non-profit organization Circusplaneet bought the church in 2015 and transformed it into a 'community circus', partly with the support of the Flemish Community and the European Regional Development Fund.
The circus church of Malem became a place where people work together with circus as a driving force. A place that encourages dialogue and meeting in this neighborhood, and where young and old can learn and train circus arts. Everyone is welcome in the foyer of the church for a drink, a chat or with an idea. The circus church is also rented out for various activities (not private events) such as workshops, lectures, performances or to companies.
“Ghent has 51 churches, but Christian services no longer take place in more than 20. A new position is being diligently sought.”
SINT-ANNA'S CHURCH – SINT-ANNAPLEIN 46A
St. Anne's Church is the most important building in Ghent in the Rundboog style, an eclectic style with Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic elements. Both the interior and the surroundings of the church are protected as monuments. In 2018, a meaningful, economic destination was sought for St. Anne's Church. A year later it was decided that the new city project would have a multi-faceted design with a market hall, a restaurant and a wine bar. The outdoor areas would include a public community garden and a nature and vegetable garden. The front part of the church would be accessible to everyone.
After years of proceedings, the new rightful owner was announced in 2023 for a period of 99 years. The supermarket chain Delhaize received the church on a long lease from the city of Ghent, but in return had to invest heavily in the restoration of the building and take good care of the church for 99 years. Naturally, millions of subsidies are available for this protected monument and all parties involved must honor the historical value of the building and carry out the restoration with respect for the cultural-historical elements.
The plans for the St. Anne's Church are controversial and the city received a lot of criticism, but Delhaize was the only candidate and the diocese had no objection to it. The permit for Delhaize was challenged in all kinds of ways, but was upheld because... legally in order!
This original Delhaize branch will probably open in the course of 2025, possibly in early 2026. The supermarket chain confirms that this project will give the church its place in the city center again in all its grandeur. Ultimately, according to the company, the building will become a meeting place: not as a church, but as a supermarket shop, restaurant and bar!
BUT ALSO...
Various repurposing projects are currently on the table in Ghent and its suburbs. For example, at the end of 2022, 18 deconsecrated Ghent churches still had to find new 'operators': including the churches of Sint-Antonius van Padua (Gentbrugge), Sint-Elisabeth (Groot Begijnhof), Sint-Jan-Baptist (Brugsepoort), Sint-Jozef (Wondelgemstraat) , Theresia of Avila (Muide), Christ the King (New Ghent), Saint Theresia of the Child Jesus (Boomstraat) and Saint Coleta (Heuvelpoort). Then the Sacred Heart Churches (Sint-Amandsberg and Mariakerke), Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk (Drongen), Sint-Antonius Abtkerk (Meulestede) and finally the Holy Cross Church (Sint-Amandsberg).
In the meantime, the St. Coleta Church is said to house the Stijn Brouns Theater and Film Institute and the St. Elisabeth Church in the Great Beguinage has become the Anglican church. There are plans for the other churches as a cultural center, as a place with a community function (such as cohousing) or as a gymnasium for an adjacent school.
sources visit.gent.be – Ghent tourism office, Michiel De Cleene, Monasterium PoortAckere, Wannes Nimmegeers, Delhaize.
