A little hamlet bordering the Charleroi to Brussels canal, Fauquez guards in its heights an unusual little chapel built in 1929 of plaques of marbrite, juxtaposed so as to create a unique play of colours. Now turned into a residence, crêperie, reception hall and theatre, this 'chapel' never fails to make an impression. Make the detour: you will never see chapels as you did before your trip to Fauquez!

The 'Glass Chapel', formerly the Saint Lutgardis chapel, was built at the beginning of the 20th century, a period of expansion for the hamlet of Fauquez, which experienced its glory days thanks to the ingenious discovery of Arthur Brancart: marbrite.

Marbrite is a maximally opacified glass, available in numerous colours, that imitates marble and was used extensively in the Art Deco style.

The glassworks of Fauquez that produced it starting in 1919 knew an unprecedented glory. Brancart, as a paternal and enlightened boss, transformed the site of the glassworks into a veritable industrial phalanstery. He had several residential areas built for workers, a clinic, a school, a train station, a reception centre with cinema, a chapel and various services that allowed an almost independent existence.

At their peak, the glassworks employed 3000 people, and very soon had to call upon a foreign workforce. Sixty years later, in 1979, production ceased and the site was definitively closed.

The former Saint Lutgardis chapel or 'Glass Chapel' (>shows), remarkably renovated by its new owner, and the façade of the reception centre remain witnesses of this unique industrial past. The colourful stained-glass windows of the Saint Pierre Church in Virginal (Ittre) were also produced at the former glassworks in Fauquez.

The former Saint Lutgardis chapel can be visited by contacting the owner, who also exhibits objects and souvenirs in marbrite and glass in several showcases.

Let yourself be swept away by his exuberant dynamism, and give in without regret to the taste of his savoury or sweet crêpes…


Monsieur BONNET – tel. +32 (0)67/ 64 88 93.
Length of the visit: approximately 1/2 hr.

Information: Mr BONNET – tel.: +32 (0)67/ 64 88 93.

To find out more, consult the site of the Ittre Tourist Office: www.sit-ittre.be