Chapelle Sainte Bernadette
Chapelle Sainte Bernadette, situated in the Charleroi region of Belgium, originally constructed in 1936, ceased operations in the mid-1970s. Currently, the site has been repurposed.
The Catholic chapel is situated in a small village named Cronfestu, on old miners’ town. In addition to coal, the area also had industries for granite, marl, and chalk. The construction of the Sainte Bernadette chapel was funded by the owners of the local cement plant. The cement works started in this village in 1880, later, it became the first Belgian company that produced Portland cement. The concrete factory was demolished in 1999.
Albert Genard designed the chapel in an art deco style between 1936 and 1937. The triple door entrance boasts a striking feature: a sizeable stained-glass window positioned above it. The window is evocative of the triangle of reuleaux, a curved triangle with constant width. The window aligns with the symmetrical curved concrete walls of the building.
The abandoned chapel, which had remained vacant and neglected for an extended period, slowly fell into disrepair. Its formal decommissioning occurred in 2016. Later, the property changed ownership and was acquired in 2023. Presently, the chapel has been converted into three apartments, carefully maintaining its original architectural elements. Notably, the windows and gracefully curved walls are still discernible. In 2017, I personally explored this deserted chapel.
