Basilica of Our Lady (Tongeren)

The Basilica of Our Lady from the south

The Liebfrauenbasilika , Dutch Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek , is a Roman Catholic parish church in Tongern in the Belgian province of Limburg . The former collegiate church, since 1930 in the rank of a minor basilica , considered one of the most important Gothic buildings in Belgium.

history

The Basilica of Our Lady stands at the oldest Christian place of worship in the city and region. The holy Maternus and Servatius of Tongeren are considered the first bishops of here in Roman times (early 4th century) established the diocese , which in the 6th century after Maastricht and later to Liege was moved. There is no historical evidence of the Merovingian period . The establishment of the collegiate monastery and the construction of a pre-Romanesque church in Carolingian times, however, evidently built on the continuity of the area going back to antiquity.

In the first half of the 13th century, after the previous building was demolished, construction began on the large-scale Gothic collegiate and town church, which was completed in its current form in the 16th century.

Building

The Liebfrauenkirche is a three-aisled basilica with a transept. The nave has seven bays , the choir four. A polygonal apse forms the east end, the high belfry-like bell tower to the west , the symbol of Tongeren and a world cultural heritage site since 1999 . The cloister that surrounds the choir to the east is from the Romanesque period; it was expanded after 1200 to make room for the planned Gothic choir.

Furnishing

The Liebfrauenbasilika contains works of great art historical value. The most important piece, both artistically and religiously, is the statue of the Virgin Mary Cause of Our Joy , carved from walnut wood in 1479 and venerated as an image of grace for centuries . Since 1890 it has been carried in procession through the city at an annual patronage and pilgrimage festival with several thousand participants .

Organs

The main organ was built in 2002 by the Belgian organ builder Thomas based on the original by JB Picard (1752). The instrument has 49 stops on four manual works and a pedal .

The main organ

Grand Orgue C-g ³
Bourdon	16 ′
Montre	8th'
Bourdon	8th'
Prestant	4 ′
Flute	4 ′
Big Tierce	3 ¹ ⁄ ₅  ′
Nazart	2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′
Duplicate	2 ′
Quarte de Nazart	2 ′
Tierce	1 ³ ⁄ ₅  ′
Fittings IV
Cymbals IV
Grand Cornet VI
Sexquialtera II
Bombard	16 ′
Trumpets	8th'
Voix humaine	8th'
Clairon	4 ′

Positive C-g ¹
Bourdon	8th'
Prestant	4 ′
Flute	4 ′
Nazart	2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′
Duplicate	2 ′
Tierce	1 ³ ⁄ ₅  ′
Larigot	1 ¹ ⁄ ₃  ′
Mixture IV
Sexquialtera II
Cornet IV
Trumpets	8th'
Cromhorne	8th'
Rossignol
Reel

Récit C – g ¹
Prestant	8th'
Bourdon	8th'
Cornet IV
Trumpets	8th'

Echo C-g ¹
Bourdon	8th'
Prestant	4 ′
Duplicate	2 ′
Cymbals II
Cornet II
Cromhorne	8th'

Pedals C – f ¹
Basse Ouverte	16 ′
Bourdon	16 ′
Octave	8th'
Bourdon	8th'
Octave	4 ′
Fittings IV
Bombard	16 ′
Trumpets	8th'
Clairon	4 ′

In the right transept, a choir organ was inaugurated in 2014, which is set up on a corner balcony. It was also built by the organ builder Thomas, the disposition was designed by Luc Ponet.

The choir organ

Hauptwerk C – f ⁵
Principal	8th'
Reed flute	8th'
Octaaf	4 ′
Pointed flute	4 ′
Nazat	2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′
Mixture IV	1 ¹ ⁄ ₃  ′
Cornet III
Trumpet	8th'

Upper structure C – f ⁵
Dumped	8th'
Quintadena (partly from Gedackt)	8th'
Principal	4 ′
Reed flute	4 ′
octave	2 ′
Forest flute	2 ′
Sext-quialtera II
Dulcian	8th'

Pedal C – f ³
Sub bass	16 ′
Principal bass	16 ′
Octaaf	4 ′
Bazuin	16 ′
Trumpet	8th'

Zimbelstern, tremulant coupling: I + II, P + I, P + II mechanical play and stop action

Teseum (museum)

Some areas of the church, including the cloister, can only be viewed through the museum. The museum mainly includes the church's treasury . In the course of the renovation of the church floor, extensive excavations were carried out, which have been visible to the public as a basement since September 2018. The most recent part of the exhibition is presented in a modern way with multimedia processing through iPod Touch and interactive local speakers.