The Old Sint Jan Tower - Balgoij

In the picturesque village of Balgoij, hidden among traditional farms and quaint little streets, you’ll suddenly come across an old tower: the Old Sint Jan Tower. It was once part of a medieval church built around the 11th or 12th century. Over the centuries, that simple hall church expanded into a larger house of worship, complete with a Gothic choir and a sturdy tower that dominated the village.

But while the tower stood tall, the stones of the nave disappeared. In 1914, a new church was built elsewhere in Balgoij, and the old one was demolished. Most of the graves were moved to the new church along with it. Only the tower remained, disconnected from its original building. During World War II, there was an attempt to blow it up to keep it from being used by the enemy, but it even survived that.

Next to the tower, an information panel with a floor plan shows what the former church once looked like. Once a year, on the feast day of John the Baptist, an open-air mass is held.

Photo's: ©Sjef Daverveld Heemkundekring Pagus Bagoye.