nl, Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele , native_name_lang = , image = Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Luc Viatour.jpg , imagesize = 200px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = St. Michael and St. Gudula's Cathedral , coordinates = , osgraw = , osgridref = , location = /
B-1000

City of Brussels The City of Brussels (french: Ville de Bruxelles or alternatively ''Bruxelles-Ville'' ; nl, Stad Brussel or ''Brussel-Stad'') is the largest municipality and historical City centre, centre of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, as well a ...

, Brussels-Capital Region , country = Belgium , denomination = Roman Catholic , previous denomination = , churchmanship = , membership = , attendance = , website = , former name = , bull date = , founded date = , founder = , dedication = , dedicated date = , consecrated date = , cult = , relics = , events = , past bishop = , people = , status = Co-cathedral
(Cathedral status from 1962) , functional status = Active , heritage designation = Protected , designated date = 05/03/1936 , architect = , architectural type = Cathedral , style = , years built = 11th–15th centuries (church)
1485 (facade and towers) , groundbreaking = (chapel) , completed date = 1519 , construction cost = , closed date = , demolished date = , capacity = , length = , width = , width nave = , height = , diameter = , other dimensions = , floor count = , floor area = , dome quantity = , dome height outer = , dome height inner = , dome dia outer = , dome dia inner = , spire quantity = 2 , spire height = , tower quantity = 2 , tower height = , materials = , bells = , bells hung = , bell weight = , parish = , deanery = , archdeaconry = , episcopalarea = , archdiocese = Mechelen–Brussels , metropolis = , diocese = , province = , presbytery = , synod = , circuit = , district = , division = , subdivision = , archbishop = Jozef De Kesel
( Primate of Belgium) , bishop = , abbot = , prior = , subprior = , vicar = , exarch = , provost-rector = , provost = , viceprovost = , rector = , dean = Claude Castiau , subdean = , archpriest = , precentor = , succentor = , chancellor = , canonchancellor = , canon = , canonpastor = , canonmissioner = , canontreasurer = , prebendary = , priestincharge = , priest = , asstpriest = , honpriest = , curate = , asstcurate = , minister = , assistant = , seniorpastor = , pastor = , chaplain = , archdeacon = , deacon = , deaconness = , reader = , student intern = , organistdom = , director = , elder = , organist = Xavier Deprez , organscholar = , chapterclerk = , laychapter = , warden = , verger = , businessmgr = , liturgycoord = , reledu = , rcia = , youthmin = , flowerguild = , musicgroup = , parishadmin = , serversguild = , logo = , logosize = , logolink = , logoalt = , embedded = The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (french: Cathédrale des Saints Michel et Gudule, nl, Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele), usually shortened to the Cathedral of St. Gudula, nl, Sint-Goedelekathedraal, link=no or St. Gudula, nl, Sint-Goedele, link=no by locals, is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in central Brussels, Belgium. It is dedicated to Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, the patron saints of the

, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of

Brabantine Gothic architecture Brabantine Gothic, occasionally called Brabantian Gothic, is a significant variant of Gothic architecture that is typical for the Low Countries. It surfaced in the first half of the 14th century at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in the City of Mechele ...

. The Romanesque church's construction began in the 11th century, replacing an earlier chapel, and was largely complete in its current

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

form by the 16th, though its interior was frequently modified in the following centuries. The building includes late-Gothic and

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

chapels, whilst its neo-Gothic decorative elements, including some of its

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

windows in the aisles, date from restoration work in the 19th century. St. Gudula also stands out for its musical components, notably its two

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

s and its immense church bells. The complex was designated a historic monument in 1936. The church was elevated to cathedral status in 1962 and has since been the co-cathedral of the Metropolitan

Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

, together with

St. Rumbold's Cathedral St. Rumbold's Cathedral ( nl, Sint-Romboutskathedraal, french: Cathédrale Saint-Rombaut) is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, Roman Catholic metropolitan archiepiscopal cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium, dedicated to Rumbold of ...

Mechelen Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...

Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...

.Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
on GCatholic.org As the national church of Belgium and the Primate of Belgium's official seat, it frequently hosts royal weddings, state funerals and other official ceremonies, such as the '' Te Deum'' on Belgian National Day. Since the mid-20th century, following the construction of the

North–South connection The North–South connection (french: Jonction Nord-Midi, nl, Noord-Zuidverbinding) is a railway link of national and international importance through central Brussels, Belgium, that connects the major railway stations in the city. It is line ...

, St. Gudula is situated on the /, a large forecourt east of the /. This area is served by

Brussels Central Station Brussels Central Station (french: Gare de Bruxelles-Central, nl, Station Brussel-Centraal), officially Brussels-Central (french: Bruxelles-Central, link=no, nl, Brussel-Centraal, link=no), is a railway and metro station in central Brussels, B ...

, as well as by Parc/Park metro station on lines 1 and 5 of the Brussels Metro.

History

Early history

The cathedral's origins are obscure, but historians agree that, as early as the 9th century, a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael probably stood in its place, on what was the most important point of Brussels at the time; the crossroads of two major trade routes—a first one connecting the County of Flanders and Cologne, and another between

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

and

Mons Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...

, then France. These crossroads were located on the ''Treurenberg'' hill (french: Mont des pleurs, link=no; "Mount of sorrows"), where the St. Gudula Gate stood (integrated in the first city walls), and which was later used as an ominously famous prison, hence its name. In the 11th century, this first chapel was replaced by a Romanesque church. In 1047, Count Lambert II of Leuven, and his wife Oda of Verdun, founded a chapter in this church, and organised the transportation to it of the

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...

s of the martyr Saint Gudula, which were housed before then in Saint Gaugericus' Church on Saint-Géry Island (where today's / are located). In 1072, the church was reconsecrated, probably following a fire. At the end of the 12th century, a Romanesque avant-corps was added to the west of the nave. In the 13th century,

Henry I, Duke of Brabant Henry I ( nl, Hendrik, french: Henri; c. 1165 – 5 September 1235), named "The Courageous", was a member of the House of Reginar and first duke of Brabant from 1183/84 until his death. Early life Henry was possibly born in Leuven (Louvain) ...

, ordered two round towers to be added to the church. His son, Henry II, Duke of Brabant, instructed the building of a Brabantine Gothic collegiate church in 1226. The choir was constructed between 1226 and 1276. The nave and transept date from the 14th and 16th centuries. The entire church took about 300 years to complete. The main structure was finalised just before

Emperor Charles V Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) ...

's reign began in 1519. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the church underwent several modifications, the most remarkable of which was the addition of some chapels; the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of the Miracle (1534–1539), the Chapel of Our Lady of Deliverance (1649–1655) and the Chapel of

St. Mary Magdalen Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...

(also called the Maes Chapel) (1672–1675). On 6 June 1579, the collegiate church was pillaged and wrecked by Protestant ''

Geuzen Geuzen (; ; french: Les Gueux) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen (; ; frenc ...

'' ("Beggars"), and Saint Gudula's relics were disinterred and scattered. In the 1790s, it also suffered looting and destruction by French revolutionaries known as the '' sans-culottes'', including the loss of its original

carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniou ...

. File:Brussel, KBB, ms. 9296, f.17r.jpg, Miniature of Margaret of York praying in front of the Church of St. Gudula, File:Erycius Puteanus, Bruxella, incomparabili exemplo septenaria, 1646 (Gudila).jpg, St. Gudula's Church, engraving by

Erycius Puteanus Erycius Puteanus (4 November 1574 – 17 September 1646) was a humanist and philologist from the Low Countries. Name Erycius Puteanus is a latinization of his name, which was rendered in various ways, including Hendrick van den Putte (Put, Putt ...

, 1646 File:Engraving St Gudula Brussels 1711.jpg, St. Gudula's Church, etching by Pieter Devel from ''Les délices des Pays-Bas'', 1711 File:Andreas Martin, De Sint-Michielskerk, 37 x 45 cm (Museum NBB).jpg, St. Gudula's Church, painting by Andreas Martin, before 1762

19th century–present

The church was designated a historic monument on 5 March 1936. In the mid-20th century, it was narrowly spared during the building of the

, a major railway link through central Brussels. On that occasion, a large forecourt, known as the /, was built in front of it. It was not until 1962, with the creation of the

, that the collegiate church was promoted to the rank of co-cathedral, when it became the seat of the Archbishop, together with

. The church's current patron saints, Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, are also those of the

. Restoration work was carried out in the 19th century under the direction of the architect Tilman-François Suys who, from 1839 to 1845, restored the towers and

portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...

s, and again in the 20th century under the direction of Jean Rombaux, then Victor Gaston Martiny, chief architect-town planner of the Province of Brabant and member of the Royal Committee for Monuments and Sites. The cathedral was once again thoroughly restored between 1983 and 1999. On that occasion, archaeological excavations were undertaken, which led to the discovery of remains of the Romanesque church and

crypt A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...

underneath the current choir. File:Doop Louis Philipp.jpg, Baptism of Louis-Philippe of Belgium, son of King Leopold I, in St. Gudula's Church, 1833 File:Eglise Sainte-Gudule - Façade ouest - Bruxelles - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00011282.jpg, The church in the early 20th century File:Briefkaart Sint Gudulakerk en straat in Brussel.jpg, The street (now demolished) in front of the church, in the 1920s File:Begrafenis van Koningin Elizabeth van België te Brussel het stoffelijk overscho, Bestanddeelnr 918-5094.jpg, Funeral of Queen Elisabeth at the (by then) cathedral, 30 November 1965

Description

Belgian and Dutch Gothic 571 S Gudles - Brussels

Most of the cathedral is in the Brabantine Gothic style, although some parts are in the newer

style. It is traditionally listed, alongside the

Chapel Church nl, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Kapellekerk , native_name_lang = , image = Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Kapellekerk Brussel 30-4-2017 08-20-19.JPG , imagesize = , imagealt = , caption = Chapel ...

and the Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon, as one of the three

churches still standing in central Brussels. The cathedral is built of stone from the Gobertange quarry, which is located in present-day Walloon Brabant, approximately south-east of the cathedral's site. The building adopts the classic plan: a Latin cross with a three-bay long choir ending in a five-sided apse surrounded by an ambulatory. It is imposing by its sheer size: long, wide ( at the level of the choir), and high (the entrance towers reach a height of ).

Exterior

Main facade and towers

The main (western) facade with its three

s surmounted by gables and two towers are typical of the French Gothic style, but without a

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' w ...

, as it features instead a large ogival window in the Brabantine Gothic style. The whole structure is supported by sturdy flying buttresses with double spans, influenced by Soissons Cathedral, crowned by

pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...

s and gargoyles. The two towers, built between 1470 and 1485, the upper parts of which are arranged in terraces, are attributed to Jan Van Ruysbroeck, the court architect of

Philip the Good Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonge ...

, who also designed the tower of Brussels' Town Hall and the

Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido nl, Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guidokerk , native_name_lang = , image = Anderlecht, Sint-Pieter-en-Sint-Guidokerk 01.jpg , imagesize = 200px , imagealt = , caption = Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido , coordinates = , country = Bel ...

Anderlecht Anderlecht (, ) is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, Forest, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and Saint-Gilles, as well as the ...

. They appear to be unfinished, lacking the spires seen in other Gothic cathedrals, and were originally meant to be much higher, in a style close to the Town Hall's tower or the north tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

. They nonetheless remain a prominent feature in the skyline of downtown Brussels. The strong predominance of the vertical lines of this facade is impressive; four robust buttresses close and separate the three portals. The two at the ends become more important by integrating two tall buttressed

turret Turret may refer to: * Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building * Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon * Objective turret, an indexable holder of multiple lenses in an optical microscope * Mi ...

s that rise from the base to the top of the towers themselves. Furthermore, the facade is divided horizontally into three levels; a lower one entirely centered on the three portals, a median one opened by the large multi-light window flanked by two high three-light windows, each inscribed in the axis of one of the towers; and an upper one characterised by the large triangular tympanum which, developing from a gallery with fine columns, is topped by several flaming

s, of which the central, more imposing, reaches a height of . File:(Belgium) St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral Tower, Brussels.jpg, The western facade File: Cathedrale saints-michel-et-gudule003.jpg, The central

File: Cathedrale saints-michel-et-gudule002.jpg, Ogival window and decorative merlon File:Bruxelles cathédrale 801.jpg, Statue of Saint Michael slaying the dragon

Chapels

From the transept, on each side of the choir, two large late-Gothic chapels, added in the 16th century (for the northern Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of the Miracle), and the 17th century (for the southern Chapel of Our Lady of Deliverance), protrude. The large proportion of these chapels gives the impression that the building has three choirs. Behind the apse, on the church's central axis, the Chapel of

(also called the Maes Chapel), in

style, was inserted in 1672–1675 between the buttresses, with an octagonal plan with a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

and

lantern A lantern is an often portable source of lighting, typically featuring a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle or a wick in oil, and often a battery-powered light in modern timesto make it easier to carry and h ...

. File:Cathédrale St. Michel- Brüssel - panoramio.jpg, View of the apse and chapels File:Bruxelles Co-Cathédrale St. Michel & Ste. Gudule Chor Kapelle.jpg, Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of the Miracle File:Chapelle Maes 02.JPG, Chapel of

(or Maes Chapel)

Staircase and forecourt

The monumental staircase in front of the cathedral, designed by Pieter Paul Merckx, was placed in the period 1702–1707. This staircase, a gift from the

, was originally built against the

city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

to provide access to the promenade on the stretch between the Laeken Gate and the Schaerbeek Gate. In the centre of the gardens located in front of the cathedral's forecourt stands a bust of King Baudouin. It is the work of the sculptor . The bust was completed on 6 June 1996, and remained at the city's administrative centre until road works on the / were completed. It was integrated into its current environment in 2003–04, as part of the renovation of this green space. It was

vandalised Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. The term f ...

in June 2020, following the

George Floyd protests in Belgium Shortly after George Floyd protests, protests seeking justice for George Floyd, an African Americans, African-American who was murder of George Floyd, murdered during a Minneapolis Police Department, police arrest, List of George Floyd protests ...

. File:ST MICHEL ET GUDULLE.jpg, View of the monumental staircase File:Cathedral in Brussels 01.jpg, Bust of King Baudouin in front of the cathedral File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Monument Roi Baudouin - 02.jpg, Closeup of King Baudouin's bust

Interior

Nave

The cathedral's nave possesses all the characteristics of Brabantine Gothic; the four-part vaults are moderately high and the robust cylindrical columns that line the nave's central aisle are topped with capitals in the shape of cabbage leaves. Statues of the twelve

apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

are attached to the columns. These statues date from the 17th century and were created by Lucas Faydherbe, Jerôme Duquesnoy the Younger,

Johannes van Mildert Johannes van Mildert or Hans van Mildert (alternative names: Joannes van Mildert, Johannes Van Milder, and nickname ''den Duyts''; 1588 in Königsberg – 1638 in Antwerp) was a Flemish sculptor, who is best known for his baroque sculptures fou ...

and Tobias de Lelis, all renowned sculptors of their time. The statues replaced those destroyed by iconoclasts in 1566. The nave also contains a

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

from the 17th century, made by the

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

sculptor

Hendrik Frans Verbruggen Hendrik Frans Verbrugghen or Hendrik Frans VerbruggenAlternative first names: Hendrik Fransiscus, Henricus-Franciscus and Frans (Antwerp, 30 April 1654 – Antwerp, 12 December 1724) was a Flemish sculptor and draftsman, who is best known for his ...

in 1699. The base represents Adam and Eve expelled from the

Garden of Eden In Abrahamic religions, the Garden of Eden ( he, גַּן־עֵדֶן, ) or Garden of God (, and גַן־אֱלֹהִים ''gan-Elohim''), also called the Terrestrial Paradise, is the Bible, biblical paradise described in Book of Genesis, Genes ...

after plucking the forbidden fruit. At the top, the Virgin and Child piercing the serpent symbolise

redemption Redemption may refer to: Religion * Redemption (theology), an element of salvation to express deliverance from sin * Redemptive suffering, a Roman Catholic belief that suffering can partially remit punishment for sins if offered to Jesus * Pi ...

.History and architecture overview
on the official site of the Cathedral To the right of the portal of the northern transept is an elegant 17th-century sculpture depicting ''The education of the Holy Virgin by Saint Anna'' by Jerôme Duquesnoy the Younger after a painting by

Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...

. The side aisles contain 17th-century oak confessionals formerly attributed to the sculptor

Jan van Delen Jan van Delen (1635/1636, Brussels – 12 March 1703,Dermot O'Mallun, the last Irish-born

chief of the name The Chief of the Name, or in older English usage Captain of his Nation, is the recognised head of a family or clan (''fine'' in Irish and Scottish Gaelic). The term has sometimes been used as a title in Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland In Eliza ...

of the O'Moloney sept of Thomond. File:Brussels - Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula Nave.jpg, The nave lined with cylindrical columns supporting the twelve statues of the apostles File:Brussels - Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula Pulpit.jpg,

by Hendrik Frans Verbruggen (1699) File:Adam et Eve chaire cathedrale Bruxelles.jpg, ''Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden of Eden'', detail of the pulpit File:0723 - Belgientour 2015 - Brüssel (21529843759).jpg, Confessional by anonymous (17th century)

Choir and chapels

The cathedral's choir is Gothic and has three rectangular bays and a five-sided apse. It also contains the

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...

s of the Dukes of Brabant and

Archduke Ernest of Austria Archduke Ernest of Austria (german: Ernst von Österreich; 15 June 1553 – 20 February 1595) was an Austrian prince, the son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria of Spain. Biography Born in Vienna, he was educated with his brothe ...

made by Robert Colyn de Nole in the 17th century. Its elevation is on three levels; large arcades communicating with the ambulatory, triforium and high windows. Left of the choir is the Flamboyant Gothic Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of the Miracle (1534–1539). It now houses the Treasure of the Cathedral, where the famous Drahmal Cross (also known as the

Brussels Cross The Brussels Cross or Drahmal Cross is an Anglo-Saxon cross- reliquary of the early 11th century, now in the treasury of the St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, that bears engraved images and an inscription in Old English. Descripti ...

), an early 11th-century

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

inscribed cross-

reliquary A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including ''wikt:phylactery, phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it i ...

, is stored. Jean Micault, receiver general of Charles V, and his wife, Livine Cats van Welle, were buried there, and an

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

, probably commissioned by their son Nicolas, was dedicated to them. It was made by the Renaissance painter and upholsterer

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, or Jan Mayo, or Barbalonga (c. 1504 – 1559) was a Dutch Northern Renaissance painter. Biography Based on his will, rediscovered in 1998, Vermeyen was born in Beverwijk in 1504 (possibly 1503 or 1505). According to ...

. This triptych is now in the collections of the

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (french: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, nl, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België) are a group of art museums in Brussels, Belgium. They include six museums: the Oldmasters Muse ...

. Right of the choir is the Chapel of Our Lady of Deliverance (1649–1655) which was built in a late Gothic style and contains a

altar by Jan Voorspoel (1666). Behind the choir is a Baroque chapel dedicated to

(also called the Maes Chapel) dated 1672–1675, and a marble and alabaster altarpiece depicting the Passion of Christ by the sculptor

Jean Mone Jean Mone (c. 1500 – c. 1548) was a Brabant sculptor, summoned from Spain to the Netherlands by Roman emperor Charles V in 1520. Mone was born in Metz. He worked to introduce Italian Renaissance style to Brabant's sculpture. Mone spent most of ...

dated 1538. File:ID2043-0003-0-Brussel, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedelekathedraal-PM 50814.jpg, The choir File:ID2043-0003-0-Brussel, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedelekathedraal-PM 50867.jpg, The vault of the choir File:Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele Maeskapel 29-01-2019.jpg, Marble and alabaster

by Jean Mone (1538) File:St Michels (8293235721).jpg, Statue of Saint Gudula

Stained glass

The cathedral has

windows from the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries; most of which date from between 1525 and 1663. Particularly noteworthy is the large window in the western facade representing the Last Judgement. It was made in 1528 by the

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

glassmaker Jan Haeck, based on drawings by

Bernard van Orley Bernard van Orley (between 1487 and 1491 – 6 January 1541), also called Barend or Barent van Orley, Bernaert van Orley or Barend van Brussel, was a versatile Flemish artist and representative of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, who w ...

. Haeck and Van Orley were also responsible for the windows adorning the northern and southern transepts. The northern window dates from 1537 and represents Charles V and his wife

Isabella of Portugal Isabella of Portugal (24 October 1503 – 1 May 1539) was the empress consort and queen consort of her cousin Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, and Duke of Burgundy. She was Queen of Spain and Germany, and La ...

in adoration for the

Holy Sacrament There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those ...

and accompanied by their patron saints Charlemagne and Elizabeth of Hungary. The southern window dates from 1538 and represents Charles' brother-in-law, Louis II of Hungary, with his wife Mary of Hungary in adoration for the

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

and accompanied by Saint Louis and the Virgin Mary. The Chapel of Our Lady of Deliverance is decorated with stained glass windows by the glass painter Jean De Labaer, based on drawings by Theodoor van Thulden, one of

's pupils. These windows, created between 1654 and 1663, describe the main episodes in the life of the Virgin Mary. Also worth mentioning are the impressive series of fifteen stained glass windows from the 19th century in the aisles, produced by

Jean-Baptiste Capronnier Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (1 February 1814 – 31 July 1891) was a Belgian stained glass painter. Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1814, he had much to do with the modern revival of glass-painting, and first made his reputation by his study of the o ...

. They were created in 1870 for the celebration of the fifth centenary of the

Sacrament of Miracle The Brussels massacre was an anti-Semitic episode in Brussels (then within the Duchy of Brabant) in 1370 in connection with an alleged host desecration at the Brussels synagogue. A number of Jews, variously given as six or about twenty, were exe ...

, an

antisemitic canard Antisemitic tropes, canards, or myths are " sensational reports, misrepresentations, or fabrications" that are defamatory towards Judaism as a religion or defamatory towards Jews as an ethnic or religious group. Since the Middle Ages, such repo ...

of host desecration. In 1977, then-Cardinal of Mechelen–Brussels,

Leo Joseph Suenens Leo Jozef Suenens ( ) (16 July 1904 – 6 May 1996) was a Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels from 1961 to 1979, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1962. Suenens was a leading voice at ...

, installed a plaque in the cathedral disavowing the 1370 events. File: ID2043-0003-0-Brussel, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedelekathedraal-PM 50808.jpg, Western facade: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after

depicting the Last Judgement (1528) File:ID2043-0003-0-Brussel, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedelekathedraal-PM 50786.jpg, Northern transept: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after

depicting Charles V (1537) File:ID2043-0003-0-Brussel, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedelekathedraal-PM 50792.jpg, Southern transept: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after

depicting Louis II of Hungary (1538) File:Bruxels April 2012-11a.jpg, Three scenes of the ''Legend of the

''. Stained glass windows by

()

Organ

The large

in the nave was inaugurated in October 2000. It hangs as a swallow's nest organ at the level of the triforium, and has a total of 4300 pipes, 63 stops, 4 keyboards and the pedal-board. This instrument is the work of the German organ-builder Gerhard Grenzing, based in Barcelona, in collaboration with the English architect Simon Platt. The two-manual choir organ was created in 1977 in the workshop of the organ-builder . File:Grenzing Organ in the St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral Brussels.jpg, Organ by Gerhard Grenzing (2000) File: Bruxelles, Cattedrale dei SS. Michele e Gudula, Organo Collon.JPG, Choir organ by (1977)

Bells

Both towers contain bells. The south tower contains a 49-bell

from 1966 by the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry, on which Sunday concerts are often given. Out of all the bells in the carillon, only seven of them can ring. They are, from heaviest to lightest: Fabiola, Maria, Michael, Gudula, Philippe, Astrid, and Laurent. Fabiola, Philippe, Astrid and Laurent are named after members of the Belgian Royal Family. The north tower contains a single bourdon called ''Salvator, it'' was cast by Peter van den Gheyn in 1638. There is also another empty space where a second bourdon used to be. The bourdon has a deep crankshaft, but counterweights have already been removed. There are plans to hang it again on a straight axis with a flying clapper.

Trivia

Falcons in the cathedral

At the end of the 1990s, Brussels ornithologists discovered a couple of

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...

s hibernating on top of the cathedral's towers. In 2001, ornithologists of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) in association with the (FIR); a French association dedicated to the protection of

raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...

s, installed a laying-nest on the edifice in an attempt to encourage nest-building. This laying-nest was never used, but in the spring of 2004, a pair of falcons nested on a balcony on top of the cathedral’s northern tower. At the beginning of March, the female laid three eggs. As a result of watching the three chicks perform acrobatic feats on the cathedral’s gargoyles, at the end of May 2004, the project "Falcons for everyone" was developed by the RBINS in association with the . The project installed cameras with a live video stream on their website.

Administration

The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula serves as the co-cathedral of the Archbishop of Mechelen–Brussels, the Primate of Belgium, who is currently Archbishop Jozef De Kesel. Due to its location in the national capital, it is often used for Catholic ceremonies of national interest, such as royal marriages and state funerals.National events in the Cathedral
on the official site of the Cathedral For example, in 1999, it was the setting for the wedding of Prince Philippe and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz. Other official ceremonies organised in the cathedral include the '' Te Deum'' on Belgian National Day, attended by the King and other dignitaries.

References

Footnotes

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * *

External links

Official homepage of the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula

Discovery guide with pictures of the cathedral

Observe live falcons at the top of the cathedral
{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches in Brussels Roman Catholic cathedrals in Belgium City of Brussels Protected heritage sites in Brussels Gothic architecture in Belgium 11th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Belgium 13th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Belgium 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Belgium Roman Catholic churches completed in 1519 1047 establishments in Europe

History

Early history

19th century–present

Description

Exterior

Main facade and towers

Chapels

Staircase and forecourt

Interior

Nave

Choir and chapels

Stained glass

Organ

Bells

Trivia

Falcons in the cathedral

Administration

See also

References

Footnotes

Notes

Bibliography

External links