Church of Our Lady, Gothic Catholic church in Brugge, Belgium
The Church of Our Lady is a Gothic place of worship in Bruges, whose brick tower rises to 122 meters (400 feet) and ranks among the tallest brick structures in Europe. The interior combines several building phases and shows a central nave with columns of Tournai stone, while the side aisles and chapels display different Gothic forms from various centuries.
Construction began in the 13th century on the site of a Carolingian chapel from 875 and developed over the following two centuries. The tower was completed in the 15th century and gave the church its current silhouette above the rooftops of the city.
The church holds Michelangelo's Madonna and Child, a white marble sculpture from the early 16th century that merchants from Bruges purchased in Italy. Visitors also find the tomb of Mary of Burgundy, whose gilded bronze memorial ranks among the finest examples of late medieval funerary art in northern Europe.
The church opens daily and allows a walk through the chapels and central nave, while access to the museum area requires separate admission tickets. Visitors should speak quietly and watch for ongoing services, as the church continues to function as a parish building.
The western facade shows two slender stair turrets that flank the main entrance on either side and are typical of Scheldt Gothic. In the crypt there are fragments of the earlier chapel, including foundations and wall remains from the 9th century.
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