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Church · Dinant, Namur
Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Dinant
Gothic church at the foot of the cliff, on the banks of the Meuse, with a 16th-century bulb-shaped bell tower. It has a stained-glass window by Gustave Ladon that is among the largest in Europe.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Dinant
The Collégiale Notre-Dame is the image of Dinant: a gray stone Gothic church built against the cliff, with a bulb-shaped bell tower facing the Meuse. It was elevated to a collegiate church in 934, and the Romanesque church that stood there was destroyed by a rock collapse in the early 13th century. Only the north door survived.
The reconstruction, in the Mosan Gothic style, used Dinant limestone. The bulb tower was installed in 1566. Tradition says the piece was made for the town hall, but it was too heavy and ended up on the church. Victor Hugo, who passed through the city, wrote that the collegiate church had great character.
The church suffered from the sack of Dinant in 1466 and from the shelling and fire of August 1914, when the city was razed. It was restored between 1919 and 1923.
Inside, the highlight is the large transept stained glass, made in 1902 by master glazier Gustave Ladon, from Gante, in the 13th-century style. It shows scenes from the life of Mary and the history of salvation and is among the largest stained-glass windows in Europe.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About twenty to thirty minutes.
Best time
In the morning, when the sun shines through the stained glass. For the photo of the façade with the bell tower reflected in the Meuse, go to the Charles de Gaulle bridge in the late afternoon.
How to get there
It is on Rue Adolphe Sax, on the right bank of the Meuse, about 400 meters from Dinant train station. Just cross the Charles de Gaulle bridge.
Tip
Admission is free. The stairway of 408 steps to the Citadelle begins right behind the church. The statue of Adolphe Sax on a bench is a few steps away, on the same street.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Dinant
Do you have to pay to enter Collégiale de Dinant?
No. Entrance to the church is free.
Why does the bell tower have a bulb-shaped top?
It was installed in 1566. According to local tradition, the piece was made for the town hall, but it was too heavy and was installed on the church.
Who made the large stained-glass window of the church?
Gustave Ladon, master glazier from Ghent, in 1902, in the 13th-century style.