Saint Nicholas Church

There are many Sint-Niklaas churches in Flanders but obviously the one and only is to be found in Sint-Niklaas. The painter Pieter Thys may not mean anything to you, but you will find his artwork in some of the most prominent museums, for example, in Munich, Vienna and Stockholm. And also in Sint-Niklaas.

It took centuries to build this grand, mainly Gothic ‘cathedral of the Waasland region’ with its five naves, the oldest church in the city. The interior chiefly consists of Baroque and neo-Gothic style elements. The 18th century annex houses a museum with a very special church treasure: richly ornamented precious metalwork, precarious cult objects and splendid robes.

The painting depicting the Descent From the Cross can be found above the altar. It was created by the Antwerp painter Pieter Thys, using Anthony van Dyck as an example. Thys was a pupil of Van Dyck. In 1672, the work was displayed above the original main altar by the Mechelen sculptor Lucas Faydherbe (1617-1697), elements of which can still be seen.