Dating back to the Middle Ages, Walcourt is a fortified town.
The only remnant of its rich history is the minor basilica dedicated to St. Maternus.This Gothic church, granted the status of a major Walloon heritage site, dates back to 1220. Pillaging, war and fire were to spread its construction over several centuries! The choir screen, which dates from 1531, is adorned with a fine drapery of Avesnes stone, said to be a gift of Charles V. An acknowledged special thousand year-old pilgrimage site thanks to the worship of our Lady of Walcourt, its Roman a statue is one of the oldest miraculous statues in the Western world. Its rich artefacts include : the rood screen – patronage of Charles V, the stalls, the laying in the tomb, the stained-glass windows.
