Cathédrale St Michel & Gudule, Brussels

4 more images

Stepping inside the Cathedral Of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula you cannot help being impressed with the long time line it showcases before your eyes. The nave of the church is lined with twelve pillars each bearing a statue of the Apostles the nave dates back to the 17th. Century. The little side Chapel of our Lady of Redemtion felt like a place of sanctury with its wonderful stained glass windows designed on sketches by Rubens pupil van Thulden dates to the mid 17th. Century. You then find yourself looking at the new Swallow organ made in Barcelona by German organ maker Gerherd Grenzing and English architect Simon Platt the organ was installed in the year 2000. The Cathedral has a very simple granite block Altar were you can see the meridian line cross the Church through the centre of the Altar. The Church is free to enter visits to the crypt and the two exhibitions have a small fee but are only open at certain times. There is a Cathedral shop where you can buy guide books, posters and religious items. Toilets are also available here and you will have to pay 1 euro so take some change with you

4 more images

Located in the city centre, the Cathedral is impressive and well worth visiting when you are in the city. Lots to see and a good place just to sit and reflect on life and the world as it passes you by!

1 more image

The St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral is a beautiful church in Gothic style from the 13th century, although there are parts of it that are as old as the 11th century. On first impression what it reminded me of was Notre-Dame de Paris and de Montreal and a little bit of Votivkirken in Vienna.

The Cathedral got its name from the patron saints of Brussels, St. Michael (the archangel) and St. Gudula (her relics are in the Cathedral), and it's used for Catholic services, royal marriages (like the Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilda in the late 1990's) and state funerals.

A church dedicated to St Michael has probably existed on this site since the 9th century. A Romanesque church was built here in the 11th century, when it became a collegiate church; soon after the relics of St Gudula were moved there and her name added to the dedication. The present church, in Gothic Brabançon style, was begun in 1226, on the orders of Henry I, Duke of Brabant.

2 more images

First completed in 1047, the Cathedral of St Michael became the final resting place of the remains of Saint Gudula, which the Duke of Brabant brought here. So it was renamed the Cathedral of St Michael and Gudula. Most of the construction dates from the 13th century.

It incorporates a mix of styles, reflecting the changes that have occured over the years. It also reflects the position of Brussels, on the crossroads of France, Germany, and the Netherlands. It's the official site of all royal Belgian weddings and funerals.

4 more images

La Cathédrale Saints Michel et Gudule seems a bit odd, as it is a massive and imposing structure that is in a quarter filled with buildings that are otherwise offices and the like. That gives it the feeling of being newer than it actually is. Although the first church was erected in this spot (atop a hill that was a busy traffic area) in the 11th century, the original church was destroyed by fire and replaced with the current structure, in Gothic style, in the 13th century. The nave dates from the 15th century, however, and for this reason it is in Brabant Gothic style. Luckily, the long period of time required to build the church did not mean that it was a mishmash of various architectural tastes. There are spectacular buttresses along the upper parts of the cathedral, and all along the lower parts, especially near the western entrance, there are impressively detailed sculptures chronicling, obviously, Biblical stories and personnages. The inside of the church is suprisingly light for a Gothic cathedral, and the Nave has incredible stained glass windows. There are also some spectacular sculptures inside the church, commissioned by various monarchs and also by the state for national heroes. I think that part of the draw of the church is the light stone from which it is built, allowing for a lighter and airier interior while still permitting the intricacy of the Gothic style. La Cathédrale Saints Michel et Gudule seems a bit odd, as it is a massive and imposing structure that is in a quarter filled with buildings that are otherwise offices and the like. That gives it the feeling of being newer than it actually is. Although the first church was erected in this spot (atop a hill that was a busy traffic area) in the 11th century, the original church was destroyed by fire and replaced with the current structure, in Gothic style, in the 13th century. The nave dates from the 15th century, however, and for this reason it is in Brabant Gothic style. Luckily, the long period of time required to build the church did not mean that it was a mishmash of various architectural tastes. There are spectacular buttresses along the upper parts of the cathedral, and all along the lower parts, especially near the western entrance, there are impressively detailed sculptures chronicling, obviously, Biblical stories and personnages. The inside of the church is suprisingly light for a Gothic cathedral, and the Nave has incredible stained glass windows. There are also some spectacular sculptures inside the church, commissioned by various monarchs and also by the state for national heroes. I think that part of the draw of the church is the light stone from which it is built, allowing for a lighter and airier interior while still permitting the intricacy of the Gothic style.

4 more images

The church/cathedral didnt particularly awe or inspire me but the interesting and very colourful and pictorial stained glass windows that turned out so well in my photos along with the gold statue of St Michael were worth seeing.

There were several informative posters put up in english around the building which also aided with learning a bit of history about the site as well which was appreciated.

4 more images

There was a chapel here as early as the 9th century dedicated to St Michael, replaced in the 11th century by a romanesque church and then in the 13th century this present Gothic style church was commenced taking 300 years to complete.

In 1962 this church was given the status of cathedral and became the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels.

Apparently this is a popular place to be seen getting married at with Royals and celebrities having their wedding ceremonies here.