Our Lady of the Visitation Church

St Nicholas is a Catholic church building in the Flemish village of Westkapelle. The first church dedicated to this saint was founded in the 12th century. The current St Nicholas Church was completely rebuilt in 2018 after the previous building collapsed as a consequence of a fire.

In 1227, a chapel of Saint Catherine was mentioned. The chapel has probably been incorporated in the later Saint Margaret's Church. This church was first mentioned in 1477. Its tower was an important beacon for shipping. the church suffered from the Iconoclasm in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The building was restored in 1613. In 1796 the church was confiscated by the French administration and returned to the parish in 1801. The church was enlarged in 1852, according to plans by P. Buyck and in 1905 a new choir section was built. The building was severely damaged due to the Second World War. A new church was built from 1955 until 1958. The tower structure could be preserved after the war and became a classified monument in 1938. The church was rededicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Margaret Church in 1958.

A chapel in Wenduine was first mentioned in 1135. This became the parish church around 1185. Originals parts of the old church can still be found in the south choir and the substructure of the tower. The church underwent its first renovation in the first half of the 13th century. The building was expanded with side aisles and side choirs around 1290. The tower, which also served as a beacon for shipping, was raised between 1546 and 1547. The church was destroyed by the Iconoclasm in 1566. The church was used by the army as a horse shed from 1607. The restorations of the church took place two years later. The church was reduced in size because the number of parishioners had greatly decreased. After Wenduine had developed into a seaside resort, around 1900, the number of churchgoers increased again. A new western part of the church was built in 1906.