St. Bavo's Cathedral (Ghent)

West side of the tower from the opposite Belfry from

The Roman Catholic St. Bavo Cathedral ( Dutch Sint-Baafskathedraal ) is located in the Belgian city ​​of Ghent ( East Flanders Province ). It is named after St. Bavo .

history

The cathedral dates back to a John the Baptist consecrated chapel . It was mostly made of wood and was inaugurated in 942 by Transmarus, the bishop of Tournai and Noyon . Traces of a church in Romanesque style can still be seen today.

As a result of the uprising against Emperor Charles V in Ghent in 1539, the old Saint Bavo Abbey was dissolved. By the middle of the sixteenth century the church had more or less reached its present appearance.

In 1559 the diocese of Ghent was founded and the church became a cathedral. The rich baroque style inside shows the influence of one of the longest reigning bishops of Ghent, Antonius Trieste.

In January 2006 a comprehensive restoration of the cathedral began, which is taking place in small steps. During this work, the church is still open to visitors.

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  crypt

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  Aisle

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  Fourth altar

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  Bishopric

art

The Ghent Altarpiece

There are many religious works of art in St Bavo's Cathedral. The oldest piece dates from the 8th century, the youngest from the late 1990s. Probably the most famous work is the Ghent Altarpiece , a winged altar that was made by Jan van Eyck and Hubert van Eyck and is considered the best-known and most extensive work of early Dutch painting. There are also 21 altars in the church. Frans Pourbus the Elder created an altar in 1571 for Viglius Zuichemus with the depiction of Jesus among the scribes. In the modern era, the artist Kris Martin erected the sculpture Idiot 4 on the roof .

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  Fresco in the crypt

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  Rubens painting

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  Heraldic representations

View of the Kruisbeuk organ

organ

The organ was built in the years 1653–1655 by the organ builders Louis Bys and Pierre Destrée. The bishop's coat of arms on the organ case indicates the founder. The instrument was adapted several times to the taste of the times. The organ installed in the church essentially corresponds to a new building with an electro-pneumatic action by Klais from 1935 and is in two parts : the Kruisbeukorgel (= organ in the transept ) has 48 stops on two manuals and a pedal . The Koororgel on the ambulatory (with private gaming table in the choir) has 43 stops on three manuals and pedal. Both parts of the instrument can be played from the central console.

I Rückpositiv C – c 4 Principaal 8th' Holpijp 8th' Wilgenpijp 8th' Oktaaf 4 ′ Koppelfluit 4 ′ Nasaard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Zwegel 2 ′ Stemmeken 1' Tertiaan II Cimbelstem IV Regaal 8th' Shelf bar 4 ′

II main work C – c 4 Prestant 16 ′ Gedekt 16 ′ Prestant 8th' Roerfluit 8th' Kwintadeen 8th' Oktaaf 4 ′ Fluit 4 ′ Gemshoorn 4 ′ Kwint 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Oktaafken 2 ′ Spitsfluit 2 ′ Kornet V Ruispijp IV Vulwerk IV-VI Bazuin 16 ′ Trumpet 8th' Kromhoorn-regaal 8th' Clear 4 ′

Pedal C – g 1 Bromstem 32 ′ Principaalbas 16 ′ Open bas 16 ′ Brompijp 16 ′ Zachtbas 16 ′ Kwintbas 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Oktaafbas 8th' Gedektbas 8th' Roerfluit 8th' Hoge oktaaf 4 ′ Small fluit 4 ′ Veldfluit 4 ′ Groot vulwerk IV Bazuinbas 32 ′ Bazuin 16 ′ Trumpet bass 8th' zinc 4 ′ Zingy grain 2 ′

III (I) main work C – c 4 Kwintadeen 16 ′ Principaal 8th' Salicionaal 8th' Houten fluit 8th' Oktaaf 4 ′ Blokfluit 4 ′ Oktaafken 2 ′ Terts 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ Small kwint 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Vulwerk IV Cimbelstem II-III Kromhoorn 8th' Head trumpet 4 ′ IV (II) subsidiary work C – c 4 Zachtgedekt 16 ′ Vioolprincipaal 8th' Kwintadeen 8th' Oktaaf 4 ′ Dwarsfluit 4 ′ Echokornet III-V Cimbelken III Dulciaan 16 ′ Trumpet 8th'

V (III) Bovenwerk C – c 4 Zweving 8th' Spitsgamba 8th' Night horn covered 8th' Strong Principaal 4 ′ Zwitserse pijp 4 ′ Woudfluit 2 ′ Seskwialter II Scherp III-IV Hobo 8th' Regaal 4 ′ Pedal C – g 1 Thought fluit 16 ′ Echobas 16 ′ Fluitbas 8th' Gedekt 8th' Kwint 5 1 ⁄ 3  ′ Oktaaf 4 ′ Fluit 4 ′ Veldfluit 2 ′ Oktaafcimbel II Pommer 16 ′ Hoorn 8th'

See also

• Diocese of Ghent
• List of the bishops of Ghent

Web links

Commons : St. Bavo Cathedral (Gent)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the Sint-Baafskathedraal (Dutch / English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Information on the organ ( Memento of the original from January 31, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 

Coordinates: 51 ° 3 ′ 10.8 "  N , 3 ° 43 ′ 37.2"  E