Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
A cathedral without a bishopric ...
A listed church with the presence of a cathedral
The church of St. Peter and St. Paul proudly stands on the Place de l’Abbaye in Warneton. It impresses by its majestic stature and beautiful neo-Romanesque, Byzantine-inspired architecture. Even though Warneton was never the seat of a bishopric, its nickname Cathedral of the Lys seems well deserved indeed. There are many attributes to admire inside this imposing building: the Art Deco decoration, the flamed sandstone, the figurative stained-glass windows, the choir stalls and the crypt.
Symmetry and architectural symbolism
Rebuilt after the First World War, the church is adorned with Art Deco elements, an artistic movement which attained its golden age in the 1920s. You can admire sconces, a lectern and a magnificent wrought-iron chandelier of truly spectacular dimensions. The beautiful architectural symmetry and geometric wall reliefs harmonise with symbolic numbers and underline the Byzantine inspiration, itself reinforced by the vast central vault.
Archaeological cold case
In 1924, reconstruction work on the church had to be stopped when the choir of the old church revealed a buried treasure: two painted tombs that had been lost in the night of time. But who lay in the larger tomb? And who was his or her eternal companion? The identification generated a great deal of controversy. But the doubts were soon dispelled as the polychrome coat of arms on the great tomb provided precious clues.
Merciful cherubs
Did charming little cherub heads or benevolent saints protect the magnificent Baroque choir stalls of Warneton’s former abbey church and save them from destruction during the First World war? These anyway had an eventful journey from their rescue by a German officer to their return to the choir of the rebuilt church. An incredible fate for these stalls dating from 1714, whose cherubs charitably supported monks and abbots during so many services…
A bishop with a vision: John of Warneton (1040-1130)
An abbey at the heart of the city
Built in 1138, Warneton Abbey contributed to the city’s prosperity in the Middle Ages. Thirty-five abbots followed one another until the abbey grounds were dismantled in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Today, some of the monastic tradition however still lives at the heart of the ‘city of Mountches’.
Local folklore
The inhabitants of Warneton are nicknamed Mountches in memory of the monks of yesteryear. This is a curious mixture of Picard and Flemish to mischievously refer to a little monk! This unique surname of the inhabitants of Warneton has become a source of pride and joy over time!
The St. Peter and St. Paul trail
Would you like to learn about the rich and fascinating history of Warneton? An educational trail around to the church offers both a magnificent view of the river Lys and a brief description of Warneton in days gone by: its castle, its abbey and its outbuildings, its successive river crossings, and more.
Will this interesting historical overview inspire you to pay a visit to the neighbouring Société d’Histoire de Comines-Warneton to learn more?
Visitor info
Opening hours
- Free access all year round
- Every day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Location
- Place de l’Abbaye • 7784 Warneton
Address and contact
Office du Tourisme
- +32(0)56 55 56 00
- info@visitcomines-warneton.be
