Saint-Alena Tower

In the park at the foot of the town hall of Dilbeek is the Sint-Alena tower. This tower is a remnant of the former castle that was demolished in 1862. The legend of Levold and his daughter Saint Alena van Dilbeek is linked to the Saint Alena Tower. Alena was born around the year 600 as the daughter of the Frankish prince Levold, who was in possession of Dilbeek. He was also notorious for persecuting Christians. His daughter was of a different opinion, for every night Alena would sneak to Forest to attend church services. She was baptized without her parents' knowledge. She was caught by her father's guards and carried away, holding on to a tree so that the guards tore off her arm, resulting in her death. An angel is said to have brought her arm to the abbey of Forest. Her body followed. But when a vassal of Levold invoked Alena and was cured of blindness, Levold and his wife Hildegard converted to Christianity and founded a church in Dilbeek. Alena's feast day is 17, 18 and 24 June. She is invoked against toothache and eye diseases. Her memory lives on here in the Sint-Alenatoren. Saint Aleana van Dilbeek is the patron saint of Dilbeek.

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