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The tower of the Saint-Gummarus Church

 If you are looking for a reason to visit Lier then here it is : the beautiful and awesome Saint Gummarus church. This temple of worship is one of the most impressive expressions of the Brabantine gothic style.

The present church was built to replace an older Romanesque church that stood here since the year 1000. The tower of the Saint Gummarus church is the oldest part of the building, and dates from 1378. In 1702 the tower was raised until it reached a height of 80 meters. The architectural style shows this later addition : the highest part of the tower is more traditional and no longer gothic. The choir of the church was completed between 1475 and 1516. Nave, transept and side chapels date from the 16th century. The church was conceived and constructed by the famous Brabantine architects Anton Keldermans and Domien de Waghemakere.

Inside, the splendor comes alive. A magnificent rood loft draws the visitor's attention, as well as the marvelous stained-glass windows. The rood loft is still situated at its original site, between choir, transept and nave. From afar, the splendor of the white sandstone can be seen. This is certainly one of the most beautiful artistic products of the Mechelen sculptors Mijnsheren en Wishaegen, who produced the rood loft between 1536 and 1539. 

This impressive construction is structured in the following way : it has five bays, the middle one being crowned by a chapel in the form of a  pinnacle, decorated with statues. The vertical support consists of slender black marble pillars, richly decorated with statues of the evangelists and popes. This vertical element is very characteristic for the gothic style. Also, a part of the decoration consists of scenes from the suffering of Jesus Christ.

The stained-glass windows, the other architectural treasure of the church, date from the 15th and 16th century. In the choir the so-called Imperial windows display the portraits of the donators, Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife duchess Mary of Burgundy. Other crowned heads are : Philip the beautiful and his wife Johanna of Castilia, Filibert of Savoy and Margaret of Austria, Emperor Charles V en his brother Ferdinand of Habsburg. This part dates from the first quarter of the 16th century. The windows in the southern aisle illustrate the Coronation of Mary. This entire  set of stained-glass windows belongs to the most beautiful in Flanders. The windows of the second and third bay of the southern aisle are modern.

In the wings of the choir some beautiful triptychs are preserved, amongst which one by Rubens (Saint Francis and Saint Clara). In the fourth chapel hangs the triptych "Colibrant", painted by Goswin van der Weyden in 1515. The pulpit was made in 1462 by A. Quellien en Verbruggen. The elegant choir stalls, made by Verhulst, date from 1555.

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