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The church of Poortvliet is evidence
of the former importance of this village. It's been built in
a combination of Gothic
styles. The tower is from the 14th century, and shows Flemish influence in the form of its octagonal upper part, something not unusual for this province. The rest of the church dates from ca. 1450, and probably replaced an earlier church. It's mostly in Brabant Gothic style and has a clerestory, whicxh is rather unusual for a village-church. It was built as a cruciform church, but the choir was demolished probably in the 18th century. The opening that thus resulted was closed with a wall, in which a window was made. Before that a fire had damaged the church in 1584 or 1585. The protestants which had confiscated the church in 1577 never restored it to its former beauty. The rebuilt was paid for by the government of the Republic; it were protestant troops who had purposely set the church on fire! The government demanded that inside of the church nothing was allowed to remain that reminded of the former catholic users of the building. It seems even the graves of catholics were removed. From 1971 until 1975 the church was restored under the supervision of architect L.H.H. van der Kloot. This included the replacement of several pillars and repairs to the walls. |
 
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