{"id":49623,"date":"2021-08-03T14:33:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T12:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/topa.be\/sint-carolus-borromeus\/beschrijving\/scb-facade\/scb-facade-have-you-seen-me\/"},"modified":"2021-11-20T19:33:07","modified_gmt":"2021-11-20T18:33:07","slug":"heb-je-me-gezien","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/topa.be\/en\/sint-carolus-borromeus\/beschrijving\/voorgevel\/heb-je-me-gezien\/","title":{"rendered":"SCB Fa\u00e7ade – Have you seen me?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Antwerp jesuit church, a revelation.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The fa\u00e7ade<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Attention! Attention! Have you seen me?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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For a Baroque building the fa\u00e7ade is extremely important. It must draw the attention of the passers-by. Rome may be famous for its innumerable Baroque fa\u00e7ades, here the effect is stronger and more superb because all possible means have been used, such as the immense dimensions, the dynamic design, the variety in building materials and the lush decoration.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe immense dimensions<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Those who go and have a look behind the screens of this fa\u00e7ade, from Grote Goddaert or Minderbroedersrui, will quickly see through the secret of the fa\u00e7ade that has been thrown up: the front is no less than 8 m (or 26 \u00bc ft.) taller than the ridge of the roof.<\/p>\n

It is good to bear in mind where exactly the big window of the central nave<\/a><\/span>The space between the two central series of pillars of the nave.<\/span><\/span><\/span> is situated in the whole of the front: above it there is the bust of Ignatius and on top of that the fronton. Once you are inside the church, you may become aware of what a gigantic screen this fa\u00e7ade is, since it is still 8 m (or 26 \u00bc ft.) taller than the big window above the organ. Moreover, to the visible width of the interior the two stair towers should be added!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe balance between the vertical and horizontal movement<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

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The fa\u00e7ade fits in a perfect square: 32.20m (117 ft.) without the cross (photo W.S.)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

Initially the dimensions were wonderfully equal in height (without the cross) and in width: 33.2 m (or 109 ft.) so that the fa\u00e7ade is inscribed in a perfect square. One cannot think of a better balance, but 4 of the 7 steps have disappeared under the levelled-up square.<\/p>\n

The vertical movement is first of all the result of the way the fa\u00e7ade has been composed: starting from the cross on top in the middle, the movement softly flows over the slanting sides of the fronton to hasten downwards along the immense volutes and ultimately fall down along the freestanding Ionic columns on the extreme corners of the tall aisles. To this common vertical movement an upward one is added. Both stair towers, which are crowned with an arbour on top, receive the vertical movement from the volutes and lift it once again to make it land on the ground floor. To lift the front from the ground level there is a plinth along it, which is interrupted by stairs consisting of seven steps for each of the three gates. From an aesthetic point of view this base was a starting point of vertical elegance. Now the major part of the plinth is hidden beneath the pavement of the levelled-up square, so that only three steps are still to be seen.<\/p>\n