- Address: Mariastraat, 8000 Brugge, Belgium
- Phone: +32 50 34 53 14
- Height: 116 m
- Material: brick
- Architectural style: Gothic architecture
- Founding date: 12-13 c.
Bruges is a kind of treasury, in which are hidden amazing and interesting architectural objects. Despite its small size, in this city, literally at every step, museums, monuments of architecture and history are opened. Walking along Bruges, it is impossible not to notice one of its main attractions - the Church of Our Lady.
Architectural style
The temple is an architectural complex consisting of several buildings. Before appearing in front of the public in its present form, the church went through a long and painful construction. Today it is the highest building in Bruges . Its 45-meter spire seems to pierce the open Flemish sky. This building, whose height is more than 120 meters, can not help but stand out against the background of other historical buildings of the city.
At the entrance to the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, you can find two-meter figures of the twelve apostles, as well as the figure of a woman who represents the Faith and the Good News. The Early Gothic central nave rises above the lateral naves and is crowned with a cross-shaped arch. The western part of the temple is an exact copy of the church in Turn . It is also made of blue stone. Five arches and a three-sided apse crown the main altar, which is decorated with asymmetrical pilasters, columns and patterned capitals.
The main sights of the church
The Church of Our Lady of Bruges is unique not only because it combines the Gothic and Romanesque styles. First of all, it is known for the fact that the sculpture "Virgin Mary with the Child", which was created by the hands of Michelangelo himself, is kept here. The sculpture was created in 1505 and is considered the only work that was exported from Italy during the lifetime of Michelangelo. Initially, it was created for the Siena church, but the author sold it to an unknown merchant, who gave it to the church of Our Lady in Bruges. During the French Revolution and the German occupation, the statue was stolen, but both times came back.
Another attraction, or you can say a relic, the Church of Our Lady in Bruges are two sarcophagi with beautiful tombstones. In one of them rests the last Burgundian ruler Karl the Brave, and in the second - his daughter Maria. Maria lived a short but happy life. She was the wife of Maximilian I of Habsburg, who called her the most beautiful woman in the world. In addition to these relics, the remains of famous clergymen are kept in the church:
- Bishop of Mainz;
- Hilarius;
- Kibaroldus.
How to get there?
The Church of Our Lady is located on the street Mariastraat between the other two streets of Bruges - O.-L.-Vrouwekerkhof-Zuid and Guido Gezelleplein. Next to it is the Picasso Museum. Only 68 m from the church is the bus stop Brugge OLV Kerk, which can be reached on the route number 1, 6, 11, 12 and 16.
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