The historic center

Stylish residences
At first glance, the historic center of Soignies is its majestic collegiate church. But if you look more closely, its streets and alleys conceal many heritage treasures. Every so often, all you have to do is look up to discover extraordinary vintage facades that bear witness to the rich past of the city of Saint-Vincent. Thanks to these relics often marked in stone, we can discover the different stages in the history of civil architecture in Soignies.

A must see
The Municipal Tourist Office offers two circuits (1h30 and 2h00) to discover the vintage facades.
A practical and richly illustrated brochure awaits you at the Tourist Office. Guided tours can also be organized.

The Collegiate Church of Saint-Vincent - Jewel of Romanesque art
Soignies, a town of medieval origin, was administered for nearly nine centuries by the Chapter of the canons of Saint-Vincent, who built an imposing collegiate church here around the year 1000. Primitive Romanesque in style, its patinated rubble stone walls and two massive towers topped with haughty spires give the building strength, majesty and elegance. The Baroque style interior (pulpit, stalls, paneling) will amaze you. You can also admire a 14th century Madonna and Child and a 15th century Entombment classified as "Trésor de la Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles". You can come and listen to regular carillon concerts in the cloister garden.

Guided tour on request
Price : 40 € / group (28 people maximum)

Information
Mr. Jacques Deveseleer, curator
Rue des Orphelins, 6 in 7060 Soignies
Phone : +32 (0) 476 / 22.18.10
E-mail : j.deveseleer@skynet.be

The Chapter Museum
Nestled against the collegiate church, the museum brings to life the treasures of the canons (11th - 18th centuries). It houses numerous collections: paintings, wood and stone sculptures, pieces of the goldsmith's work, liturgical ornaments and more.

Visit:
Open from Pentecost to Heritage Days every Sunday and public holiday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Prices :
Adults: € 2
Students: € 1
Children under 12: free
Guided group tour: € 30 / guide + € 1 per person
Information:
Mr. Jacques Deveseleer
Rue des Orphelins, 6
7060 Soignies
Phone : +32 (0) 67 / 33.12.10
+32 (0) 476 / 22.18.10
E-mail : j.deveseleer@skynet.be

Also to see
Churches and chapels are particularly numerous and old and many well worth admiring.

Chapels
Numerous blue stone chapels dot the territory of Soignies. Discover them during a bike ride in our beautiful countryside!

The Church of the Blessed Virgin at Chaussée-Notre-Dame
A listed monument, this Gothic church has a structure dating from the 13th century. Open from June to September. Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Saint-Martin church in Horrues
This magnificent rural church, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, is a pearl of Romanesque art. The Gothic-style entrance is decorated with two lions of justice. The interior consists of a triple nave without a transept.

The Old Cemetery and its museum
In the heart of the Old Cemetery, now a public park, stands a 12th and 17th century chapel, reassigned as a museum in 1896 by the local Circle of History and Archeology. Its rich and diverse collections immerse the passer-by in the  history of Soignies.

Information:
Royal Circle of History and Archeology of the Canton of Soignies Rue Henry Leroy, 23
E-mail : florence.matteazzi@gmail.com
Phone : +32 (0) 486 / 29.30.05

The walls
It was in 1365 that the agglomeration, formed around the Collegiate Church by the houses of the canons and "bourgeois" of Soignies, was surrounded by a fortified wall. This enclosure had the shape of an almost perfect circle, in the center of which stands the Collegiate Church. It was first made of levees bordered by flooded ditches. This formed around the city a defensive ring fifty meters wide. In the following century, walls and towers completed this arrangement. This fortification was dismantled in 1677. The remains of the enclosure however are still very present, in particular in the continuation of the streets and lanes forming the almost complete circuit of the ramparts (place of the Jeu de Balle, rue Neuve, Rempart Legros, Boulevard and Rempart du Vieux Cimetière).

The Archers of Sainte-Christine
The origins of the royal society of the Sainte-Christine archers, known as Le Bon Vouloir, date back to 1416. It first played a military role in the defence of the city, even if the archers of Soignies do not seem to have taken part in any battles. Nevertheless the archers and crossbowmen did guard the city gates. In certain circumstances, they attended processions, helped to maintain order in the city and played a particularly important role in the event of an alarm or siege. Later, when the bow became outdated and ineffective as a weapon, the role of the brotherhood became more  social or one of recreation. Housed in the ""Maison des Archers"", set in the ramparts of rue Neuve, this company is still very active and regularly practices archery.

Schedule and visit :
Rue Neuve, 12
Public shooting : Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Guided tours of the site and the museum are possible by appointment.

Information:
Mr. Pascal Cools
Phone : +32 (0) 473 / 65.33.62