Also known as the Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude de Nivelles, this Romanesque church dates back to the 7th century. Originally the church was housed within an abbey whose first abbess was Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, the patron saint of cats. Through the centuries, several churches were built on this site. In 1046, the current church was consecrated with Wazon, Bishop of Liège, and Henry III, Emperor of the Holy German Empire, presiding over the ceremony. World War II-era bombings destroyed several sections of the church, including its original Gothic bell tower. Since then, the…
