Saint Dimpna Church – Geel
Rijn 3-13, 2440 Geel
First Set of Plans: November 10, 1944
Second Set of Plans: November 29, 1949
Restoration: 1949 – 1952
The church wass left severely damaged after the bombardment in September 1944. An emergency procedure was followed for its protection and preservation. The first phase consists of clearing debris, demolishing part of the gable ends and providing a temporary roof. This also ensures the protection of the altarpiece and the tomb monument near the high choir. Later, the design for the restoration is conceived: a new roof construction in reinforced concrete, elevation of the tower and a reworking of the facade. Jozef Schellekens meticulously documented his work for this project. We can read the result in ‘The Restoration of St. Dimpna Church in Geel’.
What’s more, for his outstanding work he was honoured with the papal distinction ‘Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice’.
F. VANSCHOONBEEK, an Architectural Historical Research into the Figure of Jozef Schellekens (1909-1963), Bachelor’s Thesis Art Sciences and Archaeology, Free University of Brussels, 2012
