The parish church in the centre of Essen is a neo-Gothic building from the late nineteenth century, replacing a smaller medieval predecessor on the same site. It is dedicated to Saint Peter in Chains (Sint-Pietersbanden) — an unusual title that recalls the deliverance of the apostle from prison.
The brick tower is visible from across the village, and the surrounding square holds the weekly market on Tuesday mornings. The interior is modest but worth a look for the wood-carved confessionals and a polychrome statue of the Virgin that came from the earlier church.