Nivelles was born and developped around the abbey founded by St. Gertrude, Pepin of Landen's daughter, in 648. Nivelles, city of history and tradition, has 24.000 habitants and is the capital of the « Roman Païs ». Big monuments, city quarters and beautiful countrysides have been preserved.
A remarkable network of railways and highways leads to the most important cities inside and outside the country.

THE SAINT GERTRUDE COLLEGIALE CHURCH

A jewel in Nivelles.
The church was built in early Ottonian-romanesque style and consacreted in 1046 by WAZON, bishop of Liege, in the presence of the emperor Henry III.

This large sanctuary is characterized by two transepts and two choirs, which is a specific structure of collegiale churches at the time. The eastern choir is raised above a crypt.

The mighty front building, called the Westbau, was constructed during the 12th century, it has an aspe, two tribune-chapels on the second floor, a 132 step staircase, a high-room, known as the Imperial Room , 60 ft. long and vaulted , an octogonal steeple (restaured in romanesque instead of the gothic spire destroyed in May 1940), a belfry with 49 bells (a total of 31.500 lbs. of chiming bronze) and two corner turrets. The southern one shelters JEAN DE NIVELLES the RINGER (Jacquemart), a 6 ft. 7 tall and 770 lbs. heavy guilded warrior carrying a hammer, this popular gentleman has rung the bell since 1400. Damaged durind WW2, the Westbau was restaured and the work completed in 1984.

The southern gable of the eastern transept, called the Saint Peter's gable, is a very nice piece of architecture, built during the second half ot the 12th century and, as many parts of the collegiale church, very carefully restaured.

With 350 ft. from choir to choir, the central nave offers an impressive sight. Only a part of the original furnishing is currently displayed : the "Samaritan woman" pulpit, an interesting wood and marble work of the sculptor Laurent Delvaux (1695-1778) and his assistant P. Lelievre (1731-1815), from the same master a statue of Saint Gertrude, a curious altar with baroque ornementation and, inside the eastern chancel, a large brass strong-chest above a stone portico.

This late flamboyant gothic style master piece keeps the shrine of Saint Gertrude made by Felix Roulin.

More to be seen are exquisite renaissance stalls (16th century) the Notre-Dame of Hal wooden fence, the 15th century Saint Gertrude's processional charriot.

The crypt

Under the eastern choir is one of the largest crypts in our region
(72 X 34 ft.) built around 1100. It has three naves of equal height with groined vaults and aspe at the end of the central nave.
Discovered during the restauration work after the bombing of May 1940 , the archaeological site (7th-10th centuries) is unique in Belgium. It shows the foundations and the remnants of the five preceding churches. From the first merovingian sanctuary (650) with the burial places of Saint Gertrude and her parents up to the last one, the carolingian basilica of the 10th century sheltering the tomb of ERMENTRUDE, grand-daughter of Hugues CAPET founder of the french royal dynasty in 987, the child died in 1001 at the age of two.

The excavations were carried out from 1941 until 1952.

The cloister

Next to the collegiale church a cloister for the canons and the canonesses communities was built during the 13th century.

While the ornamentation is already in early gothic style, the arches are still in romanesque style, but only the northern gallery has kept its original aspect because of a restauration undertaken in 1845.

Some ancient tombstones and the bells of the belfry destroyed in 1940 are displayed in the cloister's yard.
: Next to the collegiale church a cloister for the canons and the canonesses communities was built during the 13th century.

While the ornamentation is already in early gothic style, the arches are still in romanesque style, but only the northern gallery has kept its original aspect because of a restauration undertaken in 1845.

Some ancient tombstones and the bells of the belfry destroyed in 1940 are displayed in the cloister's yard.
: Next to the collegiale church a cloister for the canons and the canonesses communities was built during the 13th century.

While the ornamentation is already in early gothic style, the arches are still in romanesque style, but only the northern gallery has kept its original aspect because of a restauration undertaken in 1845.

Some ancient tombstones and the bells of the belfry destroyed in 1940 are displayed in the cloister's yard.

AROUND THE CHURCH

The church is surrounded by a large square, traditional market place on Saturday morning. There are : the Abreuvoir (watering fountain) of the 19th century, the Palais de Justice (Court-yard) built in neo-gothic style, the City Hall and the Waux-Hall guesting, the Tourist Office and the Public Library.

On the Main Square, under the Jean-de-Nivelles turret, the fontaine du Perron (the Stoop fountain) built in 1523 by the Abbess Adrienne de Moerbeke as a watering place from the waters of the Clarisse creek. This gracious little monument was formely surmounted by the statue of Archduke ALBERT (1618) but then replaced by a gilded statue of the archangel MICHAEL, patron saint of Nivelles.

A few steps away from the western gates of the church, rue Seutin, the last of eleven fortified towers, the TOUR SIMONE (12th century) offers a good example of military tow-walls in the Middle-Ages. This tower was restaured in 1958.

THE ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTISTIC AND HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Located in the ancient Trinitarian Refuge of the Priory of Orival, an 18th century house covered with wild vine set in a courtyard, makes the museum is a very quite and romantic place.

Several beautiful art pieces from the Collegiale church are displayed on the first floor : four large statues in stone from a pulpit and several gothic and renaissance votive sculptures. On the second floor a rich 18th century collection of paintings by Frederic Dumesnil, furniture from the Abbay's chapters, and very rare terra-cotta's made by Laurent Delvaux as models for his monumental works. Also shown are tapestries, paintings, furnitures, musical instruments, wardrobes, mantelpieces, clocks, coins and documents evocating the history of the town and the surrounding country.

The third floor is dedicated to objects as old as 50.000 years down to the roman occupation, all of them discovered in the vicinity of Nivelles.

Last but not least, a specialized library for local history.

THE GATES OF SAINTES

Commemorating the twinning of Nivelles with the City of SAINTES (Charente-Maritime, France) a monumental porch was built over the top-end of the rue de Saintes (1963), the walls are decorated with mosaïcs reproducing the map of both towns and showing their main monuments cast in bronze. The gate is surmounted with a little pinacle copying a church steeple found in the town of Saintes.

THE CHURCH AND CONVENT OF RECOLLETS

Past the Gate of Saintes on the left side of the square, stands the church and former Convent of Recollets (a division of the franciscan order.)
The square called « ESPLANADE DU SOUVENIR » (Memorial Esplanade) is dedicated to the soldiers killed in 1830 and those who died during WW1 and WW2.

The Recollet's church is to be considered as the second major monument in Nivelles, built by the franciscans during the 13th century. The course of years has brought many reconstructions and reorganizations to these buildings, the last restauration started in 1960 and was completed in 1972. Since then the church is used by the parish of Saint John and Nicolas.

The single nave, ending in a five angled aspe, is kept in a bareness conforming with the franciscan spirit.

A bay inside the southern wall displays the shrine of Saint Mary of Nivelles, called Sainte Marie d'Oignies.

The stained glaswindows are due to the talent of André Blank.

The white stone statue of the Virgin with a child was sculpted by Jean Willame. The ceramics under the porch, representing the saint patrons of the church : John the Evangelist and Nicolas, were made by Max Van Der Linden.

Outside the church, the bronze statue of Saint Francis is the work of Christian Leroy.

THE TOURETTE

The square tower on the side of Avenue de la Tourette close to Faubourg de Mons is called LA TOURETTE, built by the Abbess Marguerite de Haynin, whose coat of arms decorates the main beam on the second floor (early 17th century) the monument was restaured in 1968.

Used as a cultural centre, this building hosts LES OEUVRIERS.