St Martin’s Church is one of the oldest parish churches in Ghent, founded in 941 at the crossroads of Einde Were, Antonius Triestlaan and Ekkergemstraat.
In the Late Middle Ages, it was also the first church in Ghent to be situated outside the city walls. In fact, ‘Einde Were’ means at the outermost edge (the ‘einde’, or end)
of the defensive city wall (the ‘were’). In 1625, Archduchess Isabella laid the first stone of a new choir with a high altar, which was completed in 1645 and consecrated in 1655 by Bishop
Triest. St Martin’s Church is well known for its crooked spire.