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Sint-Martens-Leerne is situated on the crossing of two important historical axes: the road from Nazareth to Nevele and the road from Ghent to Deinze. The town center of Sint-Martens-Leerne is situated near that of Sint-Maria-Leerne. The churches of both these villages are only 600 meters apart.

The original medieval church was broken down and replaced in 1845 by the current building. The building nevertheless was severely damaged and had to be restored after World War I. The church was built in neo-romanesque style and consists of three naves.

Within the church, one can find beautiful glass windows: in the ship of the church they are rather modern, in the choir they are nineteenth century glass windows. The pulpit is a remarkable piece of gorgeous handmade woodcarving: a globe carried by angels and guarded by the allegories of the evangelists: the bull and the eagle. The side altar of Our Lady consists of the painting “The birth of Jesus”, a copy of P.P. Rubens while at the side altar there is a painting of Saint Martin that is a copy of Anthony Van Dyck. The main altar is a sarcophagus altar in marble wood. The partially gilded turntable shows the road to Emmaus, flanked by the symbols of Faith and Hope.

uring the Christmas period a romantic crib is built in front of the main altar, which is truly one of a kind.

Sint-Martens-Leerne was nearly 150 years governed by the members of the Crombrugghe family, for the exception of twelve years. The latest mayor was Carl of Crombrugghe. A tag at the church of Sint-Martens-Leerne reminds us of this family.

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