Visiting Dadizele, Belgium and its Basilica: Gothic Revival by Edward Welby Pugin, built 1857 to 1867

The architect for this building in Dadizeele (1), Belgium, was Edward Welby Pugin (2), in association with Baron Jean-Baptiste de Béthune.

The Gothic Revival style for which Edward Welby Pugin, and, indeed, other architect members of the Pugin family were well known, is here expressed in a definite way. The occurrence of pointed arches, pinnacled buttresses and a rose window all combine to reinforce the building's Medieval Gothic inspiration. Interestingly, the building possesses no less than five naves.

The building was begun in 1857, completed in 1867 and known as a Basilica (3) from 1882. It replaced a 15th century church building; some of the extant artifacts date from this period.

In its red brick design, I am generally reminded of the style of the Chapel at Keble College, Oxford, England.

Dadizele is located in the Moorslede municipality of West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen ) province, in Belgium's Flemish region (Dutch: Vlaams gewest ).

January 12, 2013

Notes

(1) In older sources, some architectural digests, etc., the spelling 'Dadizeele' is sometimes given; this reflects the formerly correct Dutch spelling, before an official reform eliminated the doubling of some letters in Dutch.

(2) Other works by Architect Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875) included a wide range of church buildings in England, Ireland and elsewhere. He was a son of Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), one of the architects who worked on the Palace of Westminster, London.

(3) Its full name is Basilica of Our Lady of Dadizele (Dutch: Baziliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Dadizele ).

Also worth seeing

In Dadizele itself, the Town Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis ) is a striking, ornate building.

Menen (distance: 9.1 kilometres) has a town hall with an unusual, octagonal tower.

Passendale (distance: 8.5 kilometres) corresponds with the World War One locality Passchendaele, where many Canadians, and other Commonwealth soldiers, served and died. The Tyne Cot memorial is nearby.

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How to get there: Brussels Airlines flies from New York to Brussels Airport (Brussel Nationaal / Bruxelles-National ), from where car rental is available. Brussels is the nearest large airport to Dadizele (distance: 121 kilometres). The Belgian railroad company NMBS / SNCB maintains a service between Brussels and Moorslede-Passendale railroad station. Please check with the airline or your travel agent for up to date information. You are advised to refer to appropriate consular sources for any special border crossing arrangements which may apply to citizens of certain nationalities.

MJFenn is an independent travel writer based in Ontario, Canada