Steenvoorde, aux pays des moulins...
Les Automates - Les Boules Flamandes - Cantons et Moulins - Randonnées L'Église Saint-Pierre - Les Fêtes - Les Géants - Le Houblon - La Maison du Coq
		The Saint-Pierre church tells us his history... It was there is 900 years: 1100 is the date locates which will make it possible to include/understand the history of the church. It makes it possible to distinguish the church from wood, the Romance church and the Gothic church. One can wonder what there was before the great time of XIe century, during which one undertakes in Steenvoorde the construction of the first stone church. One thinks with reason of a church out of wooden because one could work wood with much address and the raw material was within reach. The roof was out of thatch, a process particularly used for the sides; at the beginning, these sides are very narrow, then they will become extensive. XIe century sees the success of the Romance style. In Steenvoorde, it is thus the construction of the first stone church, with the windows in semicircular arch. Some of these sandstones still exist in the foundations of the frontage of the church, immediately behind the tower. They are stones of Cassel or Mounts of Flanders since there was not the different one in the vicinity. The church in its current drawing with its roomy naves and its ogival style goes up in XVe century, except the tower. There could be a bell-tower in the contiguous cemetery, or more probably an arrow in the center of the building. The tower had to be built between 1500 and 1530. Behind the organ, one can see the traces of the first vault. With the base of the 3rd stage, an inscription: M 712 i.e. 1712. This indication is however misleading: it happened that one modified the year, during significant work. This tower, in spite of appearances, is especially made red bricks. It suffered much from the religious disorders of the time of the " Gueux ". Two dates are interesting to retain: 1566 and 1583; they are located one towards the beginning, the other towards the end of the events. August 15 1566, the church is ransacked: statues, tables and stained glasses fly in glares since the Protestants do not want figuration. Restored into 1569, it was burned into 1578 and is in ruin into 1583 like all the village, after the battle of Steenvoorde between the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Alençon. Thanks to funds provided by taxes raised on beer and the wine, yielded for the rebuilding, work of a first restoration starts. It is about the central nave, the nave of right-hand side, the choruses, the nave of left and the tower. One can see the first two pillars on the right and on the left, dating from XVIe century. XVIIIe century presents two visible dates: 1600 and 1664. First is registered on the pinion of the nave of left. The church of 1600 does not remain a long time intact. In 1644, during " the years of Cop ", the church and the borough are again devastated. 1664 mark end of the rebuildings; the baptismal font, out of black marble, is contemporary of this time; they carry the date of 1658. Year 1664 is read on the frontage of old the estaminet Cock It was there the presbytery with its direct path towards the church; this house, of Flemish type, still carries religious emblèmes. It became house common to the Revolution. As for the church, one rebuilt it on the same foundations, about in the same style. The confessionals of the bottom of the church (gates) are of XVIIIe century. The bank of communion out of wrought iron, date of 1807 and the pulpit out of carved wooden, of 1808 (the year is registered under the barrel). In 1891 was completed the arrow, a 43 m height, carrying the climax of construction with 92 Mr. If the church suffered little from war 14-18, the second war reduced the choruses and before naves to the debris state. In 1950, the faithful ones celebrate the reopening of their church, remained intact since.