Heritage brochure - Basilica of Koekelberg

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the basilica of the sacred heart in koekelberg, the fifth biggest church in the world

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rigin and development

Erected on a promontory — formerly called «Suppelenberg» or «Sippelenberg» or even «Sippelberg» – and in a green bower, this major Brussels heritage site, referred to by locals more simply as the «Koekelberg Basilica», towers over the surroundings owing to its size (164 metres long, 107 metres wide at the transept and with a 93 metre-high dome) and its unobstructed, privileged location. You’d have to try hard not to notice it...! But this isolation seems sometimes to relegate the church to being a place with an austere appearance, somewhat distanced from the faithful and difficult for visitors to access. It is also well known for its lantern, placed on the green copper dome, a sort of «lighthouse of the Faith». In the first half of the 19th century, i.e. at the start of the independent Belgian monarchy, Leopold I, its first sovereign, declared his unfulfilled wish to build a new royal residence on the site. This vast place was only occupied by a wind mill, records of which go back to the 16th century. Leopold II, the «Builder king» was constantly designing big urban planning projects for Brussels. In 1880, on the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence, he aspired to erect a national Pantheon dedicated to the country’s great figures, in the image of the one in Paris. Indeed, fascinated

by Paris, Leopold II wanted to have a basilica in Koekelberg – this word’s etymology is edifying: «royal», or ellipse for «royal hall» – erected at the centre of a star of avenues – still extremely visible today –, the whole including a central avenue, our «Champs Elysées», leading to the centre of the capital. The toponomy is still impregnated with it: look at the Avenue des Gloires Nationales or the Avenue du Pantheon, for example. The king drew inspiration from Paris, on his return from a trip in 1902, but his reference would be the Sacred Heart in Montmartre, under construction at that time. A project with a clearly ecclesiastical dimension was undertaken, under the influence of the Catholic bourgeoisie in power.

A first design was developed in 1905 by the architect Pierre Langerock, a specialist in neo-Gothic, a religious building style that constituted the best way to revisit medieval architecture at the time. The design was brilliant but costly, indeed, too costly. During the ceremonies commemorating Belgium’s 75th birthday, Leopold II laid the first stone in 1905. The contractor began the works in 1909, but the king died in December of that year. Supposed to bring in money in the form of collections, the introduction of a place of pilgrimage on the site, managed by a congregation that established itself there even before the first works started was not enough to support the project.

At the end of the First World War, the priorities changed and the excess of the first design became indecent. It was then decided to turn to Albert Van huffel to redraw the plans. A self-taught Gant architect from a pious Catholic background, he was above all a great proponent of what, at the time the project was endorsed in 1921, was not yet called Art Deco. In this difficult context, we must not omit to mention cardinal Van Roey (who died in 1962) and his role as project leader, seeing to its successful completion. On Van huffel’s death in 1935, his work was continued and finished by the engineer Paul Rome, who, in general, did not modify his plans, except as far as the dome is concerned.

After the Second World War, the Basilica was named National Monument to Peace. In 1952, Pope Pious XII assigned it the status of «minor basilica», an honorific title that, according to canon law, is parsimoniously conferred on «churches remarkable for their antiquity, fame, size or beauty».

Following the Vatican II council and its significant reforms in theology and liturgy, the Basilica and its symbolism came into disrepute once again. The new cardinal and the new ecclesiastical hierarchy no longer supported the project. The building then assumed a more tourism-based vocation.

Unofficially completed in 1970, the Basilica at that time underwent significant maintenance and renovation work!

When Cardinal Suenens left office in 1979, the situation was disastrous: there was a need for significant restoration work on the monument, a refuge for rats and mice... !

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rchitecture and decor

The architect opted for the art deco style, based on optimising the relationship between the artist’s creativity and the technical qualities of industrially manufactured materials.

On the façade, the two 65-metre high towers invite onlookers to look higher up towards the huge dome. The latter consists of an internal gallery and an external walkway affording a breathtaking view over the Brabant area.

The building has certain architectural peculiarities. For example, it is built on cellars that occupy the entire surface area, something very unusual in a church. The church is also sometimes referred to as an «accordion church» as it can be adapted to each need (big congregation or more intimate parochial services): from the smallest space, i.e. the little chapel, to the whole space using the central altar beneath the dome. The four arms of the cruciform layout join up with the main alter beneath the dome, which dispenses a striking overhead light. Lastly, the inside of the building is covered with terracotta, i.e. baked clay. The general principle is as follows: terracotta is used to build the formwork and the interiors (staircases, columns, etc.), filled in with cement.

Above the narthex, or «fore-nave», a sort of entrance space delimited by columns, another ambulatory is placed, which serves for outdoor masses. On the exterior you will see a statue of Father Damien, Belgian missionary to the lepers in the Pacific region in the 19th century.

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ours and detours

Since the project was taken over by Van huffel, the main and unmovable components of the specifications imposed on him are known: the building must be able to house from four to five thousand people with a view of the master altar; it must have ten chapels, symbolising the nine Belgian provinces of the time and the Congo; the old foundations must be re-used; the total cost must not exceed 20 million francs. There are two sources of finance: public money on the one hand and private funds on the other, including contributions from many collections in all the kingdom’s churches and catholic schools.

The length of the project would pose problems and create anachronisms. The veneration of the Sacred Heart – note that on the purely liturgical front, this is the worship of the heart of Jesus Christ, symbol of love, the incarnation of God and the lost life of Christ –and of the homeland became less and less important as the works progressed. Furthermore, the choice of the architectural style, pertinent at the start, made no sense at the end of the project.

This slowness in building led to other things. In 1937, the government put the building on the list of buildings of public utility: the length of the project helped ease unemployment! Furthermore, these dozens of years of works were dotted with several festive «openings» or «blessings»: in 1935 and in 1951, for example. In the latter year, for two days there was real joy all through the district, without getting in the way of a series of rites that were strictly respected: blessing or purification of the exterior and interior of the building with the sprinkling of holy water, the baptism of the church using Gregorian water – a kind of superior holy water made of water, cinders, salt and wine – projected onto the walls, the floor and the altar, procession of a great number of bishops, prelates and abbots, politicians, members of social and cultural movements, etc.

As a stage for grandiose national and parochial celebrations, this huge church could, in its liturgical functions, welcome speleologists, scrabble clubs, scouts, a radio station, etc. It also includes three halls fitted with kitchens, a cafeteria and a 229-seat theatre. Finally, two museums – the Black Sisters Museum and the Museum of Modern Religious Art — and several exhibitions per year are hosted here, as well as concerts, plays, conferences, etc. In short, a venue for cultural events! The hiring-out of the premises brings in quite a lot of money.

While the Basilica today retains all its status as a national symbol, it is also the seat of the Parish of the Sacred Heart, which is responsible for 4 districts: Ganshoren, Koekelberg, Jette and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe. Each of these 4 districts contributes to the church building expenses.

In short, the Basilica is far from a mere ecclesiastical building; it is a construction stamped with a range of influences relating to the context of its birth and development.

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