Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Omer de Quaëdypre came into being in the 11th century, when the monks of Saint-Winoc Abbey founded a sanctuary on the present site. From this first construction, the central span of the west façade and the remains of the transept remain, including the base of the pillars supporting the tower of the cross. These elements, built in ironware stoneware, bear witness to the early Romanesque architecture of the monument.

In the 16th century, the church underwent major transformations, including the reconstruction of the choir around 1537, as evidenced by an inscription on a cap of the middle abside. However, the religious unrest of the end of the century seriously damaged the building. An ambitious reconstruction campaign was launched between 1601 and 1618: the bedside was rebuilt in 1601, the tower of the cross was erected in 1610, and the north and south ships were completed before 1617 and 1618, respectively. These works enlarge the church and give it its present appearance, mixing medieval heritage and Renaissance additions.

The Saint-Omer church was listed as a historic monument in 1983, recognizing its heritage value. Its tower, covered by a roof in the pavilion, and its tower of staircase with polygonal roof illustrate the architectural evolutions crossed by the building. Owned by the municipality of Quaëdypre, it remains a testimony of the religious and constructive dynamics of the region, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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