Built in the early 13th century as a replacement for an earlier Romanesque church, next to the old trade centre of Ghent, the Korenmarkt. The church was used by the guild members who carried out their business nearby, and the guilds added their own chapels to the sides of the church in the 14th and 15th centuries. The central tower is unique in that it rises from above the nave and transept crossing, and not the entrance as is usual. It served as an observation and bell tower until the neighbouring Belfry of Ghent was built. These two towers, along with Saint Bavo Cathedral tower, still form the famous medieval skyline of the city centre. After centuries of growing serious deterioration, restoration has taken place since 1900, and continues today.
The Triumphant Bell, now displayed on the base next to the church, was the replacement for the original Roland Bell of the nearby Belfry which, from 1325, was primarily used to warned when an enemy was approaching the city. The Roland Bell was badly damaged and replaced by this bell in 1659. It cracked badly in 1914 when it rang at the Ghent Festival and was removed from the belfry.