Nos événements

From wherever you approach the centre of Rillaar, you will always be struck by the changing views of the extraordinary architecture of St Nicholas Church. This neoclassical view was defined by provincial architect Alexander van Arenberg of Leuven. There was already a chapel here in the 13th century. Rillaar was the first branch church of the vast parish of Aarschot. The earlier church, built of iron sandstone, fell into disrepair around 1800. When the tower burned down in a violent storm in the winter of 1860, a new church building in brick with sandstone accents was built between 1864 and 1868. On the rather tall square tower base, rises an elegant octagonal bell tower crowned with a lovely lantern and pear.

Inside, you are struck by the spacious octagonal dome, 21.5 metres high. The sense of space is enhanced by the design of the “hall church”. The large windows and white-painted walls provide bright vibrant light that subtly highlights the white neo-Renaissance portico-head altar of 1872. The church possesses a fine collection of late medieval polychromed statues in Gothic or folklore style. Fascinating ones include the triumphal group or calvary, Christ on the cold stone and Our Lady with Child, whose maker's name “Maître de la Madonne de Piétrebais”, projects us 500 years back in time. The stained-glass windows with saints by glazier Ferdinand Crickx from the early interwar period and by Frans Hermans from the 1950s breathe the same rural atmosphere.