How about a face-lift spanning centuries? That’s precisely the story of the Chapelle Sainte-Anne. It stands before you not quite as it began. This chapel tells a tale of faith, demolition and rebirth.
Originally constructed in 1519, the Chapelle Sainte-Anne stood proudly at the corner of Rue de la Montagne and Rue du Singe. Imagine a bustling Brussels street. The chapel served its purpose for locals.
But time, as it often does, brought change. Between 1655 and 1661, the chapel was rebuilt in the Brabant baroque style. Then disaster struck. The bombardment of 1695 severely damaged it. Rebuilt and reconsecrated in 1699, the Chapelle Sainte-Anne persevered.
Fast forward to the early 20th century. Brussels was transforming. The North-South railway link project threatened the chapel’s existence. Demolition loomed. Burgomaster Charles Buls suggested moving it to Cinquantenaire Park. However, his idea never came to pass. In 1909, the chapel became a cinema called Cinema Colonial. Later, it was renamed Cinema Palacino. The cinema closed its doors in 1925. The building was then demolished. Only its facade and first section remained.
But this is not the end for the Chapelle Sainte-Anne. The facade was saved. The nearby Chapelle de la Madeleine received a new sacristy. It provided the perfect spot for the Sainte-Anne’s baroque facade. The National Office for the North-South connection rebuilt the facade there. This act of preservation is commemorated by an inscription to the right of the baroque portal. It reads that the facade was rebuilt by the office in 1957-1958.
Take a closer look at the facade. It showcases beautiful stonework. The facade is divided into three parts by pilasters with Ionic capitals. Above the baroque portal, a broken curved fronton houses a niche. Here, you’ll find a copy of Jerome Duquesnoy the Younger’s statue of Sainte Anne and the Virgin. The original is in the Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral. Baroque volutes surround the statue. A dripstone sits above.
Each side section of the facade features a blind niche. Above each, there is a dripstone and a Saint-Jacques shell. Below each, there is a cartouche. Ionic pilasters support a large entablature. Above this, a volute gable crowns the facade. The central section of the gable has a large arched window. Pilasters with acanthus leaves separate it from the gable’s side sections. These sections are adorned with baroque volutes and fire pots. Corinthian pilasters support a second entablature. A triangular fronton tops it, decorated with a coat of arms framed by volutes.
Interestingly, the side facades of the Chapelle Sainte-Anne are quite different. They form the sides of the modern sacristy added in 1957-1958. The eastern facade features Flemish Renaissance style. It’s made of red brick with stone trim. The western facade is made of rubble stone with three large arched bays.
The Chapelle Sainte-Anne’s journey through time shows resilience. It embodies Brussels’ architectural history. Its story is a blend of faith, destruction, and rebirth. It stands today as a testament to preservation. It reminds us that even in the face of progress, history can find a new home.