Museums:
Municipal
Museum of Folklore and Local History is located in the "Arsenal", built in
1903. There are three important halls : 1. History of
Roeselare; 2. Life of the people; 3. The Zouaves’ Museum
(of the papal zouaves).
Museum Blomme in the Ooststraat, which houses a collection of
the paintings by the artist and winner of the Prize of Rome
(1920) Alfons Blomme from Roeselare (1889-1979)
Minor Seminary:
The fathers Augustines from Ghent settled in
Roeselare in 1634; they built a chapel, a monastery and a
school. Between 1725-1735 the baroque Augustine church was
located in the Zuidstraat : Johan Wilhelm’s escutcheon
(1658-1716), duke of Neuburg and lord of Roeselare and the
statue of Our Lady of Consolation by Karel Dupon were built
in the fronton.Since the Napoleonic time there has been an
episcopal minor seminary, which, during the 19th
century, became known because of three West Flemish leading
men of the Flemish Movement : Guido Gezelle (bust by Jules
Lagae in the alley), Hugo Verriest and Albrecht Rodenbach.
The "Big Perturbation" took place in 1875; it was a
students’ revolution wich caused the
"Blauwvoeterij" all over Flanders (memorial the
"Blauwvoet" (1980) in the historical playground).
St.-Michael’s
Church:
Its eldest traces go back to the
Middle Ages; until 1872 it was the only parish church in
Roeselare. In 1488 the town fire almost completely devastated
the church; to the order of Filips van Kleef (1456-1529),
lord of Roeselare, the church was rebuilt in late gothic
style (between 1497 and 1504). The monumental tower dates
from 1504 and was originally spiry. In January 1735 the spire
was blown down and was then replaced by a ball-shaped
roofing.There are important works of art in the church : the
baroque pulpit (17th century) depicts the sacred
history of the vineyard of Nabot; the gothic revival foot ot
the high altar (1862) by the sculptor Francis Dumon from
Bruges with three reliefs of Jesus’ life; 17th
century Ecce Homo, wooden statue; black marble font (1816) by
the sculptor Jan Calloigne from Bruges; paintings :
"Homage to Our Lady" by Jacob van Oost (17th
century), "The coronation of Christ" by Jan
Janssens (17th century); paintings by artists from
Roeselare : Bernard Mioen, Désiré Megaert, Ferdinand
Callebert (17th century). The church has the
biggest organ in West Flanders; in the tower hangs the
towncarillon with 37 bells. The south porch dates from 1954,
surmounted by the statue of Our Lady.
Other churches:
Neo-romanesque St.-Amand’s Church, built in 1869-1872; pulpit and Way of the
Cross sculptured by Karel Dupon; modern window-panes and
monumental organ.
Church of the Fathers Redemptorists, second half of the 19th century;
mural paintings by Arno Brys.
St.-Peter and
Paul’s Church in Rumbeke: 
Formerly
gothic church, rebuilt in "Ieper" style in 1924.
The show-piece is the effigy (middle of the 16th
century), sepulchral monument of Jacob de Thiennes (1534),
lord of Rumbeke, and of his wife Katharina van Oignies
(1545). Devotion for St.-Blasius against fever and childhood
deseases; gothic revival Way of the Cross by Louis Beyaert c.
1900); romanesque font in white stone (12th
century); oak altar-rails (1734); pulpit (1630); prie-dieu
chair for the count of Rumbeke.
Castle of
Rumbeke: This
architectural jewel of Flemish Renaissance was built by the
then lord Thomas de Thiennes and his lady Margareta
d’Harméricourt c. 1538. The chapel, the hexagonal tower
surmounted by a peculiar spherical shape, the central part of
the building in the shape of an Land the two truncated
turrets at the north end recall this architectural period.
The four front turrets at the south end date from the 17th
century. The massive entrance-pavilions, which form the east
and west gates, are dated 1731. The castle belonged to the de
Thiennes family until 1856; since then the castle with the
adjoining STARFOREST - laid out in 1770 - has been a property
of the Limburg-Stirum family. The castle and the forest are
open to the public.
St.-Martin’s Church in Oekene, with some tomb-stones in the old
cemetery all round. St.-Cornelius is served against childhood
diseases and cattle-plagues. In the porch wall there is an
ashlar foundation stone ("Jan van Moerkerke and Margriet
his wife") from 1489. The Van Peteghem organ (1773)
arrests for attention, as well as the 17th century
statuette of Our Lady from Karmel.
Church of the
Exaltation of the Cross in
Beveren, where the Procession-cross, in iron-work from
Doornik (13th century) is preserved.
Municipal Cemetery
(remarkable poplar alley):
Monument of homage to the soldiers
from Roeselare fallen in 1914-1918 (Karel Dupon); mausoleum
of Albrecht Rodenbach (1888 by Jules Lagae); mausoleum of
Roger Fieuw (literary man from Roeselare, 1922-1960); grave
of Karel Dubois (1885-1956).
Arme-Klaren Chapel:
Built in the second half of the 19th
century; its interior was restored in 1976. The convent of
the Arme Klaren was built together with the church.
Rodenbach:
Birth-Place (Albrecht
Rodenbachstraat) and House of the Deceased Albrecht Rodenbach
(Noordstraat) (1856-1880). "Boy prodigy of
Flanders" and founder of the "Blauwvoeterij".
Statue:
Statue of Albrecht Rodenbach, in
the De Coninckplein. Unveiled in 1909, sculptured by Jules
Lagae.
New Station (1979) with memorial to sculptor Jules Lagae
(1862-1931) in the station-square.
Near the station there is a customs bonded warehouse.
Post Office, in the Ooststraat; gothic revival building
(1902-1903)
Harbour:
Harbour of Roeselare, on the canal
between Roeselare and the Leie dug in 1862-1870; one of the
most important Belgian inner harbours; in the active
industrial area of the town. Quay-walls 2116 m; water-channel
50 m wide at the entrance; cargo capacity 600 T in the
harbour-channel; 1350 T in the turning canal, beyond the
Bruanebridge. Traffic : annuel supply of about 600.000 T in
2500 Lighters.
A vast industrial area is available (applications and
information : W.I.E.R., Baron Ruzettelann Bruges).
The AUCTION with an enormous annual turnover, is one of the
most important in the country.
Kazandmill, in the Mandellaan, built in 1813 in the place
where the oil-stamp-stake mill, built in 1773 burnt down;
classed in 1944.
Bailiff’s House:
Built to the order of Pieter
Goudenhoofd, bailiff of Rumbeke in 1617; typical drive gate
and renaissance chimney.
Statue of Alexander
(The Blind) Rodenbach (1786-1869)
(in the Mgr. De Haernestraat), representative of the people
(1831-1869) and mayor of Rumbeke (1844-1869); he was a
National Congressman in 1830. He was zealous for digging a
canal between Roeselare and the Ijzer and for the right of
the Flemish language.
