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Origin and history

The Church of St.Elisabeth of Hungary, located 115 rue de Lannoy in Roubaix, is built in a context of industrial development in the 19th century. In 1858, Madame Delaoutre, born Decreme, a wealthy widow, offered land to build a church and a school. The project, accepted by the municipal council in 1859, was blessed on June 3, 1860. The building, designed by architect Théodore Lepers, was completed in 1863 in a blending Romanesque and Romanesque style. It became the parish church of the Tilleul, the Pile, the Three Bridges and the Potenry.

The bell tower's arrow, added in 1877, was demolished in 1972 for security reasons. Despite its completion in 1863, the church was not consecrated until 1933, due to the anticlerical climate of the early 20th century. It is dedicated to Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, patron saint of Isabel of Roubaix, founder of St Elizabeth's Hospital in 1488. The building, listed as a historical monument in 2014, reflects the religious architecture of the industrial era.

The interior of the church is distinguished by a broad nave and the lower side separated by massive columns. The high altar in white marble, designed by Gustave Pattein in 1897, replaces an old oak altar. The organ of the gallery, installed in 1885 by the Schyven house in Brussels, and the confessional supporting a choir organ, also designed by Pattein, enrich the furniture. Interior paintings include copies of masters and works by local painters.

The church, built in brick with limestone corbellations, presents a Latin cross plan and a massive square bell tower. His tympanum depicts the reigning Christ, surrounded by two angels. This monument illustrates the industrial history of Roubaix and its religious heritage, while preserving furniture and stained glass of high artistic quality.

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