The Try-au-Chêne chapel and its rich history
In the Belgian village Bousval you’ll find the Try-au-Chêne chapel, which has a rich history. We visited the chapel, and listed how to reach it and when to visit it best.
About Chapelle Du Try-Au-Chêne
Somewhere between the agricultural fields around the Belgian village Bousval, you’ll find the Try-au-Chêne chapel – which is also known as the Notre-Dame de Hault chapel.
What looks like a small chapel at first glance, is actually a chapel which actually houses a story that spans several centuries. The chapel was erected in 1608 by Thierry Le Jeune – a captain in the army of Albert d’Autriche – in order to thank the holy virgin for having protected him from death during the Eighty Years’ War caused by the revolt of the northern Netherlands against the kingdom of Spain.
Since then, the chapel contains an inscription reminding its visitors of the chapel’s origins: “Cette chapelle est dressée et fondée des moyens du capitaine Thirry Lejeune, seigneur de la Baillerie, lequel par invocation de Notre-Dame de Haultétant échappé plusieurs périls de la mort en la guerre l’espace de 30 ans de voeux et piété lui dédie et consacre la présente, 1608″.
Later, in 1693, the chapel was occupied by the armies of Louis XIV.
In its history, the chapel has unfortunately lost several of its showpieces; it contained a large crucifix which was placed against the apse of the chapel in 1868, but later disappeared. The Baroque altar which was built around the original stone altar In 1746, contained a sculpture that was given the name Notre-Dame du Try-au-Chêne. Since 1972, it has been relocated to the Saint-Barthélemy church of Bousval, but returns to the chapel every year during a pilgrimage to the chapel.
To remember its historical value, the chapel and its surroundings were classified as historical monuments in September 1997.
The Try-au-Chêne chapel is by origin very simple and noble, which is why it originally was a red brick building. The brick became visible in 2010, but the chapel has been completely repainted in white since April 2016.
Visiting Chapelle Du Try-Au-Chene in 2021
Dominating the Dyle and Thyle valleys, the chapel creates a typical view which is very well known in the region, and very known with photographers.
It is especially interesting to visit the church in the summer when the crops are high, as this can produce the most instagrammable photos.
How to reach Chapelle Du Try-Au-Chene
The chapel is located at the corner of rue de la Chapelle du Try-au-Chêne and Chemin de la Chapelle du Try-au-Chêne, in the village of Bousval.
Because the chapel is located on the borders of the villages of Bousval and Tangissart, it is very accessible and the road is even quite busy.
About the shot
Landscape photography might seem like black magic for some of our adventurous readers and aspiring photographers, that’s why we decided to break down some of the technical details behind this shot.
If you’re planning to visit the chapel, we’d advise you to visit it during a beautiful summer day, so a polarizing filter can be very interesting to capture a beautiful atmosphere.
We used our visit to Chapelle Du Try-Au-Chêne as an opportunity to test the Yuneec Mantis G drone and its intelligent flight-modus extensively, after which we wrote this review.
Gear
- Drone: Yuneec Mantis G (Review)
- Body: Fujifilm X-E2 and Fujifilm X100F
- Lens: XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS
- Backup lens: XF 35mm F1.4 R
This guide on Fujifilm lenses for traveling provides a comprehensive overview of some of the best options available, including wide-angle and zoom lenses, to help you capture stunning photos of your travels.
Settings
- Shutter speed: 1/125
- ISO: 100
- Aperture: f/2.5
Software
