St-Leonarduskerk Northeast Belgium

Partly dating to the 13th century, St-Leonarduskerk is topped with a fanciful tower reminiscent of a galleon’s crow’s nest. Miraculously, given Zoutleeuw’s turbulent history, the interior of this Unesco-listed Gothic church is the only significant example in all of Belgium to have escaped untouched from the religious turmoil and invasions of the 16th to 18th centuries. Its magnificent statuary thus offers a unique insight into pre-Iconoclastic church design, though until summer 2020, extensive restoration work means that only the apse and small treasury are accessible. Out of season call well ahead to arrange a group visit.