Église Bleue, Belgium

Église Bleue is an abandoned church located in Belgium. It is one of the most beautifully ornate churches I have had the pleasure to photograph in a long time. I explored this location during the Autumn 2022 Belgium Tour; it was one of several wonderful surprises of that short and memorable trip.

History of Église Bleue

This Baroque styled church was constructed in the early 18th century by a Franciscan Catholic religious order. The interior is ornate, with a large altarpiece and a number of paintings and sculptures. The ornate woodwork and pews in the choir area also date to this period. Over the years, the church has undergone several renovations. One notable phase in 19th century added a neo-Gothic façade and windows.

For decades, Église Bleue, served as a place of worship. However during the 1797 French Revolution, the church was closed down. It re-opened in the aftermath of the revolution, when it served as a school. The wheels of revolution turned once again, this time it was the 1830 Belgian Revolution which saw another period of closure. The buildings were sold at the turn of the 20th centaury, when it became a convent until the 1970s. The convent closed, and the church was gifted to the local township.

Re-incarnated as a night club

In 2000s, the church was transformed into a nightclub. A large bar was installed at some point, running much of the length of the church from entrance to the choir area. There were at least two nightclub incarnations, with a change of ownership along the way in the mid 2010s. Eventually, the nightclub was closed down around 5 years ago due to financial difficulties.

Since the closure of the nightclub, the church has remained vacant. It is rapidly falling into a state of disrepair. Sadly despite calls to restore the building, the future of Église Bleue remains uncertain.