Written on 14/03/2025 by
Restorers are specialists in finding a balance between old and new, between visible and invisible, between permanent and temporary. On the one hand, they want to go back to the original as much as possible, but on the other hand, they should not fake it. Just take a look at some of the details.
Maaike Blancke of Bressers Architects explains the cathedral using the model at the entrance of St Bavo's Cathedral.
You can literally feel what the cathedral looks like: next to the entrance, there is a detailed scale model for the blind and partially-sighted.
Detail of the model of St. Bavo's Cathedral for the blind and visually impaired on which you can clearly see the position of the new building between the Chapter House and the cathedral
The new structure is tucked away in a corner you cannot see from the outside, between the chapter house and the cathedral. The lift shaft inside was the final piece in the puzzle of ensuring accessibility.
Addition of new pieces of cut stone to fill gaps in the original Tournai stone of St. Bavo's Cathedral
We filled holes in the Tournai stone wall with newly cut blocks, so-called ‘bouchons’. These stone blocks were roughly carved so that with time, they will blend into the original wall.
Brass ramp of St. Bavo's Cathedral with 'peace' written in various world languages
The brass access ramp at the main portal bears the word ‘peace’ in various languages. The Christian crosses also provide a better grip.
The new gray concrete cast floor of the visitor center in St. Bavo's Cathedral
The concrete cast floor does not run all the way up to the wall. This kind of visual separation makes two things clear: “This is new”, but also “We adopt a low-key approach.”
Brass stairs in the visitor center of St. Bavo's Cathedral
Brass is our intuitive thread through the building. The subtle metallic shine guides visitors from the reception desk to the Ghent Altarpiece.
Maaike Blancke feels Tournai stone hundreds of years old in St Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
We had to make an opening in the wall in two places. We did not add a doorframe, so you can feel the ‘heart’ of the old wall.
Brass steps of the stairs in the visitor center of the Sint-Baafskathdraal in Ghent
I really like this material. Van Eyck would have perfectly captured the reflections of light on the brass stairs.
Maaike Blancke
Brass stairs with brass letters spelling out the name 'Johannes Van Impe'
Johannes Van Impe was parish priest from 1421 to 1440. As a theologian, he was an important spiritual advisor for the Van Eyck brothers.
Maaike looks at the frescoes on the columns of the crypt of the visitors center of St. Bavo's Cathedral
Most frescoes in the crypt were painted half a century after the Ghent Altarpiece. If you compare the style, you realise how innovative Jan Van Eyck was in his day.
Painted rosette with angel in the crypt of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Sometimes we can restore, other times we need to conserve: the rosette and music-making angel will never be coloured again.
Man and woman watch and listen attentively to the history of the Mystic Lamb using Augmented Reality glasses
Augmented reality in a Romanesque crypt: a way to revive the past.
Tombstone of Hubert Van Eyck on the floor of the crypt in St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
The bones of Jan Van Eyck’s mysterious brother Hubert Van Eyck have not been preserved, but his tombstone once again features prominently in the crypt.
Maaike next to the newly painted panels of Adam and Eve from 1861
“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there”: in 1861, the church authorities had a new version of Adam and Eve painted, clad in bear skins lest the public be shocked by their nudity.
Frescoes in the crypt of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
The frescoes in the crypt were rediscovered relatively recently, during a renovation in the 1930s. Now, we’re making every effort to preserve them.
Lines on the floor in the crypt of St. Bavo's Cathedral show the contours of the old church
The forerunner of St Bavo's Cathedral, St John's Church, was altered and extended several times until it reached its current form. This line in the floor shows the contours of the old church.
The walls of the crypt of St. Bavo's Cathedral clearly show the different construction periods
Earlier restorers wanted as much uniformity as possible and whitewashed everything. Nowadays, we prefer keeping the different construction periods visible.
Ventilation grille in the ground in the crypt of St. Bavo's Cathedral with cross motif
The new ventilation grille made by German firm Mahr features a cross pattern. All the pieces of the puzzle need to fit together, so we pay attention to even the smallest details.
Brass door frames with recess in the crypt of St. Bavo's Abbey in Ghent
We wanted to avoid heavy doorframes and had to come up with bespoke solutions.
Maaike feels the Tournai stone of a new opening in the outer wall of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
The new circulation required some radical interventions, such as making two new openings in the cathedral’s outer wall. This was pretty nerve-racking.
Staircase with concrete stairs and brass handrail in the new building of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Polished concrete, brass and Tournai stone: in my opinion, this is the holy trinity of materials.
Maaike points to the glass elevator shaft of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Thanks to the newly built lift shaft, we could avoid having to install stair lifts in the cathedral.
Technical space along the facade of St. Bavo's Cathedral for temperature and humidity control of the Mystic Lamb
A glimpse behind the scenes: the technical space ensures that the glass case protecting the Ghent Altarpiece maintains a constant temperature and level of humidity.
Sculpture in the episcopal garden of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Rare sight: old and new come together in the bishop’s garden.
Automatic double brass door in the St. Bavo Cathedral in Ghent
Swing door or sliding door? Automatic or not? Once everything works, it seems self-evident, but a lot of thought has gone into accessibility.
Detail of brass handle on stairs in St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
The brass handrails have been finished with a car coating so that they retain the right degree of patina: a little bit is okay, but not too much.
The different levels of St. Bavo's Cathedral become clear when you look down the stairwell
Working on St Bavo's Cathedral is digging into the past. In some places, we have made this ‘lasagna’ of construction layers visible.
Concrete stairs with brass handles along the stained glass windows of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
The stair posts match the vertical Gothic line pattern of the stained-glass windows.
Maaike next to stained glass windows in St. Bavo's Cathedral
Thanks to the new construction, you can go upstairs along the outside of the cathedral. For many centuries, no-one was able to see these stained-glass windows in such detail.
Koppel looks in amazement at the central panel of the Mystic Lamb in St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Jan Van Eyck used gold leaf in the frame to add luster to his divine representation. We did the same with the brass in the cathedral.
Stained glass windows in the sacrament chapel next to the Mystic Lamb in St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent
Restored to its original splendour: only the Sacrament chapel was large enough to serve as a worthy home for the Ghent Altarpiece.
The Ghent Altarpiece hangs in an anti-reflective glass display case in St. Bavo's Cathedral
The glass of the display case made by Meyvaert is state-of-the-art: non-reflecting, continuously heated and virtually unbreakable.
Black stained lockers where visitors can store their belongings in the St. Bavo Cathedral in Ghent
For the lockers, we opted for dark stained oak. Present-day craftsmanship that matches the rest of the interior.