Provisional protection of the Chapel of Our Lady of Groeninge in Kortrijk

The protection should pave the way for a restoration, the chapel will be rebuilt as a detached one further on. The small Groeninge chapel on the corner of Harelbeekse and Gentsesteenweg is neglected. It was built in 1832, shortly after Belgian independence, in memory of the Battle of the Golden Spurs. Initially the chapel stood free-standing, later it was integrated into a printing house and now it is built into a social housing project.

Inside, the condition is dramatic: the altar is crumbling, plaster is falling down, texts are almost illegible and ornaments are badly damaged. But both the city of Kortrijk and heritage Flanders find the hexagonal chapel valuable enough not to let it get lost.

“The chapel is temporarily protected because of its historical value, as an early dated memorial monument for the Battle of the Golden Spurs. At that time, this historic battle became an anchor point for the history of young Belgium. Later it also became a symbol for the Flemish emancipation and for the social struggle,” said Minister Diependaele.