The bomb has dropped. Rebuilding Kempen High Gothic after war damages.
The tower of Saint Catherine's Church is visible far and wide. Although the current tower was rebuilt after war damages caused by a bombing during World War II, the gothic church has been dominating the Kempen landscape in and around Hoogstraten since the 16th century. Almost 70 years after the massive renovation and rebuilding, the church is in need of restoration yet again.
In preparation of the grand restoration project, the entire interior of the church was subjected to a thorough examination. We investigated the altars, paintings, statues and the wooden church furniture, focusing on both archival and material-technical research.
Saint Catherine's Church houses an extensive collection of valuable and richly decorated altar pieces. Furthermore, the church owns not one, but two historical choir stalls! Next to the currently in use, 16thcentury choir stalls, part of the 15thcentury choir stalls has also been preserved.
The expansive mausoleums and epitaphs of the once influential families De Lalaing and van Salm were also studied. Traces of polychromy were found on both the mausoleums, and the 16th century choir stalls. The church interior was historically presumably a lot more colourful than it is nowadays. Finally, the paintings scattered in the church were researched.
The examinations formed a basis for a treatment proposal, specifically formulated for each individual object. As such, the investigation served as a foundation for the development of the restoration project meant to restore the church in al it's splendour.
