Monumental, historical churches
Bruges counts with numerous historical churches and chapels. Ever since the Middle Ages the clergy liked to settled in the city centre of Bruges. Many of these churches and chapels where renovated and changed over the centuries and as a consequence have lost their original architecture style. Yet one can pose that the mayor part of these buildings were built or rebuilt in Gotish or Early Gothic style. These religious monuments hold very valuable treasures. Paintings of Flemisch painters such as Pieter Pourbus and Gérard David, fresco's and sculptures, as the world famous Madonna with child by Michelangeloare lavishly exposed in a religious set. Visiting monumental churches and chapels in Bruges is more than getting to now a religious society. It is getting acqainted with the art of painting, culture and world famous works by Michelangelo and Pieter Pourbus amongs others. It is being overwhelmed by the beauty of the fresco's, scuptures. These religious monuments contain a fortune of art treasures, in short.
- Saint-Jacobs church - medieval Early Gothic church
- Saint-Gillis church - Early Gothic elements
- Church of our Lady - keeper of valuable art treasures
- Saint-Saviours Kathedral - medieval church as top monument
- Saint-Donaas church - monument from history books
- Jeruzalem Chapel - Adornes and Eastern influences
- Basilica of the Holy Blood - Saint-Baselius Chapel
Saint-Jacobs church - medieval Early Gothic church
This monumental church was founded in 1240 out of the old parish church of Saint-Saviours. It had to be the new parish church right next to the Ezelpoort (one of Bruges' city gates, used to be called Saint-Jacobs' gate). Shortly after the church was transformed into a Early Gothic cruciform church and two centuries later it was further transformed into the current three-naval church. Marks of the Early Gothic period can be found in the tower column of the church. It dates back to the 13th century.
This church is located in the Saint-Jacobsstraat, on the corner of the street just before the curb.
Saint-Gillis church - Early Gothic elements
Shortly after 1241 the Saint-Gillis parish came into being. This monumental church is not as known as the others. Still, she is worth while. At first the Saint-Gillis church was a succursal of the parish of Our Lady This Early Gothic church was just like the Saint-Jacobs church thoroughly transformed in the late Middle Ages into a three-naval hall church. There are only a few elements left of the original cruciform church and this church also consists of a Early Gothic column tower.
Church of Our Lady, keeper of valuable art treasures
The church of Our Lady is one of the mayor monumental churches, if not on of Bruges' most important monuments. It was built in Romanesque style in the 12th century. It was rebuilt as a gothic church with a 120-meter-high tower in the 13th century. In 1350 it was finally finished.
The church of Our Lady is situated next to the house of Gruuthuse. (for more information go to 'Museums'). The lord of Gruuthuse had a private chapel built on, which made it possible for him to attend messes from his own house. You can view into the church from the chapel today if you visit the Gruuthuse museum.
Unlike the Saint-Saviours Cathedral, the art work of Our Lady is still implemented in the interior. Remarkably are the mausoleums of the duchesse Mary of Burgundy and the duke Charles the Bold. These tombs belong in the church, though they haven't always been there. They were restored in their rightful place in 1982.
Most art work in the church are of the 16th century. You will see amongs others paintings of Gérard David and Pieter Pourbus, as well as the famous sculpture by the famous and renowned Michelangelo, the Madonna with child.
This church is located at the corner of the Mariastraat opposite the Old Sint-John's hospital.
Saint-Saviours Kathedral - medieval church as top monument
Just like the church of Our Lady, the Saint-Saviours Cathedral is one of Bruges' most important monuments. It was originally built according to Roman style. Of that style there are only marks left in the tower. In the last quarter of the 13th century construction of a new church started. It took untill the first half of the 16th century to finish it. It was the first church in Bruges of which the building started in the 9th century.
After the unfortunate fate of the SInt-Donaas Cathedral the Saint-Saviours church was given the title of Cathedral in the 18th century. A lot of art work from the former cathedral was transferred to the new Saint-Saviours Cathedral.
The choir stalls of the second part of the 15th century are remarkable oeuvres from the Late medieval sculpture. Most late medieval works of art unfortunately have been removed from the church and brought to the Cathedral museum.
The Saint-Saviours Cathedral is located in the Steenstraat.
Saint-Donaas church - monument from history books
The Saint-Donaaschurch is definitely worth while mensioning as monument, because it was very present in the history of Bruges, even though it is no longer visible in the town scape. It was built in the 10th century. It was located on the Burg square, where now the Paviljon by Toyo Ito is placed. The then Count of Flanders, Charles the Good, is said to have been murdered in the church in 1127.
Since the 16th century the Saint-Donaas church was transformed into Cathedral, because Bruges had been nominated diocese by the Pope, just like several other cities in the Netherlands. The episcopal see was appointed to the Saint-Donaas church. The bishop was chased away by the French during the French occupation in the 18th century. In that same period the church partly burnt down. In 1800 it was completely demolished without the intention of rebuilding it.
In the nineties of the 20th century the construction of the Crowne Plaza hotel on the Burg square was started. During the first works the workers hit the fundaments of the Saint-Donaas church. Descisions were made to emplement these foundations in the hotel. What is left of this impressive Cathedral is free for visitors. On the Burg square itself was placed a reconstruction of the church on top of historical rocks to remember the historical importance of the church.
In 2000 the Paviljon by Toyo Ito was placed because of the cultural year 2002. The Saint-Donaas monument had to make way for it. But the Japanese architect wanted to respect the historical value of the church and placed his paviljon in a pool that has the exact shape of the central church of Saint-Donaas.
What is left of it, can be viewed in the basements of this church. Entrance Burghotel Crowne Plaza on the Burg square.
Jerusalem Chapel - Adornes and Eastern influences
A lot of attention is justly given to this historical chapel. It was built in the 15th century.It was Adornes who built it, together with the next-door house and almshouses. This Genoese-Bruges family was active in international trade and local politics. The Adornes' family is most famous in Bruges for the construction of this Jerusalem Chapel, which does look somewhat eastern because of the exotic architecture. The chapel looks like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and it was meant as replica of this Jerusalem church. A few Adornes family members are said to have undertaken a couple of journeys to Palestine for research about the church.
Inside the chapel are the mausoleums of the builder, Anselmus Adornes, and his wife. The mausoleum was created by the master mason Cornelis Thieleman who was also involved in the rebuilding of the city hall and the Saint-Jacobs church. Other members of the family are also present in the portrets in the 6 stained-glass windows.
The Jerusalem Chapel is located at the corner of the Peperstraat with the Balstraat.
Basilica of the Holy Blood - Saint-Baselius Chapel
The basilica of the Holy Blood was built between 1134 and 1157 by the count Diederik van de Elzas. Ever since it was built it was a double church, the ground floor was able to maintain its Roman character, while the top church got deteriorated. It wasn't untill the 19th century that restaurations began. The original name of the chapel was Saint Baselius Chapel. According to the legend Diederik van de Elzas would have brought the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ to Bruges. The relic of the Holy Blood is kept in the chapel of the church ever since the 13th century. The relic is probably from Constantinopel, from were it was brought to Bruges. Count Baldwin IX was partly responsible. .
You can visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood on the Burg square, the building is in the corner with the city hall.
