Kortrijk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Kortrijk will repurpose its 1929 Jenart-Lagae family chapel in St. John’s Cemetery, restored for €80,000, to house 24 urns, near the historic Calvary graves; August Lagae is notable.
As VRT News reported, Kortrijk will repurpose a historic burial chapel to house urns. The chapel is located in St. John’s Cemetery. It has recently been restored to preserve its original design and historical features. Officials say the building is an important part of the city’s history and culture.
How will Kortrijk’s Jenart-Lagae chapel preserve history and house Urns?
The restoration of the chapel cost nearly €80,000. After the work is completed, it will hold 6 to 8 urn vaults, allowing for a total of 24 urns. The city council also plans to protect other old and valuable graves through a new sponsorship system. People or organisations who sign up agree to care for a grave for at least 9 years.
“At the Sint-Jansbegraafplaats cemetery alone, there are several hundred valuable graves that are eligible for sponsorship or reuse,”
says Alderman for Cemeteries Wout Maddens (TBSK).
“We want to map the funerary heritage in all our cemeteries in this way and give it a new purpose.”
The chapel was built in 1929 and belonged to the Jenart-Lagae family from Heul. The family played a key role in the local industry. They produced linseed and linseed oil from flax. Members of the family also served in local government.
August Lagae was a former mayor of Heul. By converting the chapel into a place for urns, the city preserves its historical and architectural value. The chapel’s location is considered special. It stands near the Calvary in St. John’s Cemetery. They mentioned that this area is the final resting place for many historically important residents of Kortrijk.
