Saint Paul’s Church in Antwerp dates from the seventeenth century, built after Calvinists destroyed a former Dominican order church. St. Paul’s has been owned by the city of Antwerp since 1803 and is currently a parish church. Perhaps more interesting than its religious history is its impressive art collection, featuring masterpieces from Rubens, Van Dyck, Teniers, Van Balen, and more.
The former Dominican ministery dates from 1571 and the church is considered a Baroque jewel in a Gothic shrine with over 200 sculptures, 50 paintings, a magnificent altar, furniture, woodwork, and its supposedly-famous organ (how would I know?).
The church is currently undergoing a multi-year restoration, leaving areas inaccessible, paintings taken down, and construction wall coverings with prints of the paintings that hang on the north wall: essentially you’re visiting an active construction zone.
The Altar and Choir
Your eyes are immediately drawn to the altar at the other end from where you entered. Against a white background and well-lit by the surrounding windows is the marble alter, dominated by a large painting in its center. Other religious sculptures and icons adorn the alter and surrounding surfaces. The bright red carpeted stairs leading to the alter contrasts nicely against the altar’s black and brown marble. I’m no architect and therefore can’t explain its baroque-ness: simply stated it’s gorgeous (and somewhat over the top).
As you approach the high altar, you’ll walk through the choir which is composed of exquisitely carved dark wood: sculptures of people, the seats, or other ornamentation are by themselves exceptional pieces of art.
Eye-Level Masterpieces
Normally hung on the North Wall at a height of 4 meters – with many other paintings – are two masterpieces displayed in climate-control cases on either side of the steps to the high alter. Close-up you are able to examine the paintings in ways not possible from their normal location: the size, the detail, the stroke work, the colors, etc. are literally inches from your eyes, only separated by the glass of the display case. Whomever suggested displaying the paintings in this way likely kept the church relevant and interesting during the renovations. The church is not a normal destination for seeing art in this matter, unlike the hordes in major art museums: have you ever tried to view the Mona Lisa at the Louvre?
Ruben’s The Flagellation was painted in 1617 and is the second sorrowful mystery: Christ is tied to a column on the orders of the Roman governor Pilate. The executioners beat Him with a bundle of branches and a whipping rope or make Him stumble. At the bottom right, a dog barks at Him. Although Christ turns His bloodstained back to us, He tries to look at us at the same time.
Van Dyck’s The Carrying of the Cross is also from 1617 and is the fourth sorrowful mystery: In just one scene Van Dyck tells the entire suffering of Christ: He succumbs under the cross. He meets His weeping mother. The intense blue of Mary’s mantel, painted with the precious lapis lazuli, immediately catches our attention. Simon of Cyrene dressed in a red coat, briefly takes over the burden of the cross. Van Dyck was barely 18 years old and was paid 150 guilders for this work, the same as his master Rubens received for the Flagellation.
[The paintings’ descriptions are provided by the church.]
Organ
The pipes for the pipe organ are mounted in a dark wood cabinet opposite the high altar on the back wall. The silver pipes are grouped together, each group banded together by a gold decoration/ornamentation, and each group secured in a dark wood cabinet (not sure of the proper term). The carved cabinet is topped with horn-playing angels, emphasizing its musical nature.
The on-going restoration required the organ itself be disassembled, whose parts are viewable in a nearby room.
Wood Carvings Throughout
Dark wood is the dominant medium through out the church: look in a different direction and another wood carving catches your eyes. The quality and craftsmanship is easily discerned when looking closely at the carvings to see the exquisite details. Unlike almost any other church that I’ve visited. Very impressive and overwhelming.
Treasury
The entrance to the Treasury is on the right side as you face the high altar where a subset of smaller art work and religious pieces from the church’s collection are displayed.
Calvary
The Calvary garden is outside in a small yard surrounded by apartments. On display are stone monuments of various ages. I used Google Translate on the Dutch description placard:
Calvary was built for the Dominicans, the Van Ketwigh brothers, on the old monastery cemetery. These brothers’ connection with the grinding poverty, injustice, and famine caused by natural disasters inspired them to transform a boneyard into a garden of faith and hope. Not the purgatory of daily misery and infant mortality should be central, but rather a compassionate divine love. All the prophets of the Old and New Covenants testify to a driving vision to stand up for the displaced and wounded. Therefore, complete surrender on the cross is central. Divine love cannot come any closer. This is not giving meaning to or glorifying suffering. Here, it is about God’s cry, against all senseless suffering; closeness, a source of hope. It is remarkable how Mary Magdalene, a vilified coman, is lifted above all despair. Those who came to pray here recognize themselves.
The design, inspired by Lucas Cranach, dates from 1697 and was completed around the mid-18th century. The extraordinary garden, built against the church, features spectacular rock formations with 63 life-size statues. Several Antwerp sculptors worked on it: V.V. Kerricx the Elder and the Younger, A. Van Papenhoven, M. Van der Voort I, J.C. de Cock, J.P. Van Baurscheit the Elder, and L. Van Esbroek.
Don’t miss the opportunity to walk all the way to the back and enter the structure there and see the sculptures showing the poor and suffering. Very impressive, especially considering the age.
Planning Your Visit
The church is located in the old town near the river at Sint-Paulusstraat 22. Tickets are €5, free for under-18s, wheelchair users, Antwerp museum pass and so on. According to their website, opening hours are uncertain due to on-going restoration. You might just need to show up and see what happens.
Restoration
The church is undergoing a major restoration through at least mid-2027. Phase 1, scheduled to complete in early 2026, closes the North Aisle, leaving most of the church accessible and viewable. Phase 2, starting in early 2026, closes the Nave, leaving only the choir and cloisters open. Currently there is much to see, so I recommend visiting before Phase 2 begins or waiting until 2027.
Final Thoughts
Completely by chance did I end up visiting the church and had no idea what to expect, the exteriors not giving any indication of the beautiful art contained within. I definitely recommend a visit if you can get there during Phase 1; it’s not yet clear what areas will be accessible during Phase 2 other than the High Alter and Nave definitely being inaccessible. Will the paintings be rehung on the (hopefully) completed North Wall? Will the organ be reassembled? Something else? Difficult to know at this junction.
Image Credits
- All images © 2025 Scott C Sosna, all rights reserved.
