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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-des-Fèvres d'Halluin, located in the Colbras district, takes the name of a medieval chapel in the place called Malplaquet, destroyed during the Revolution. This chapel housed a wooden statue of the Virgin, called Notre-Dame du Tilleul, carved in 1377 and restored in the 18th century. A pilgrimage took place there before its destruction, and a votive chapel was rebuilt in 1955 at its original location, rue de la Lys, and restored in 1999.

The construction of the present church began on August 15, 1928, the day of the Assumption, with the laying of the first stone. It was consecrated three years later, on September 8, 1931, by Cardinal Liénart, at the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin. Art Deco style mixed with Gothic influences, it was designed by architect Paul Vilain, inspired by the Abbey of Lophem-les-Bruges. Its Latin cross plan and its imposing bell tower dominate the local landscape.

In 1995, land movements linked to variations in the groundwater damaged the choir, requiring partial condemnation. A brick wall was erected to isolate this part, leaving only a large Art Deco crucifix left in the original decoration, moved into the new choir. The façade was renovated between 2009 and 2010. Today, the church is part of the parish of Notre-Dame de la Lys, alongside two other halluinese churches.

The building, built in bricks and on stilts, is distinguished by its massive vaults without columns, typical of religious Art Deco. Its history reflects both local traditions of Marian devotion and architectural challenges related to its geographical environment, close to the Belgian border.

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