Visit the church with a guide
Ghent guide organisations offer tours in and around the church. Find out more via this link.
©Peter Van Lancker
Saint Saviour’s Church, also known in Ghent as Heilige Kerstkerk, or in the local dialect ’t Seleskest, is located in the lively, multicultural neighbourhood of Heilig Kerst and Nieuw Dokken in Ghent. It is a hidden gem full of art treasures. The bow of the barge Rihera in the square in front of the church recalls the historic connection with the Ghent barge families who met there weekly for Mass celebrations.
The church offers a unique blend of Gothic and Byzantine elements. Be surprised by the richly decorated interior with the Neo-Byzantine murals from 1857, by Ghent painter Theodore Canneel and the iconostasis (2019) by Volodymyr Sykuta.
Since 2018, Saint Saviour’s Church has been the meeting point of the Ukrainian community in Ghent. In fact, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church follows the Byzantine (or "Greek") rite.
Art treasures
Inside the church you can admire a rich collection of paintings, sculptures and architectural elements:
- Procession of Saints: murals by Theodore Canneel in the high choir with an impressive five-meter-high figure of Christ.
- Passion triptych: by Maarten van Heemskerck (1557) originally intended for St Bavo's Cathedral.
- Pulpit from 1737.
- Paintings by Frans Francken I, Hendrik van Baelen, Jan-Erasmus Quellinus and Nicolaas de Liemackere, among others.
- Church Treasures: these include the 14th-century Pietà Zoete Nood Gods and silver shrines of the Plague Saints and Saint Barbara. The latter has been recognised as a Flemish Masterpiece.
- The 1773 rectory in Louis XVI style with its interior details.
Opening hours
Entrance fee
Basic price
free
Info for groups
Tour of the church and visit to the sacristy
Groups up to a maximum of 25 people can book a tour and sacristy visit by appointment with the church office on the phone number listed in the contact information.
