Saint Bavo's Cathedral, also known as Sint-Baafs Cathedral ( nl, Sint Baafskathedraal), is a

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...

, Belgium. The 89-meter-tall

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 ...

building is the seat of the

Diocese of Ghent The Diocese of Ghent (Latin: ''Dioecesis Gandavensis'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel ...

and is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent. It contains the well-known ''

Ghent Altarpiece The ''Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'', also called the ''Ghent Altarpiece'' ( nl, De aanbidding van het Lam Gods), is a large and complex 15th-century polyptych altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium. It was begun around the mid-1420 ...

''.

History

The cathedral stands on the site of the former Chapel of St. John the Baptist, which was primarily of wooden construction and was consecrated in 942 by Transmarus, Bishop of Tournai and Noyon. Traces of a later Romanesque structure can be found in the cathedral's crypt. Construction of the Gothic church began around 1274. In the subsequent period from the 14th through 16th centuries, nearly continuous expansion projects in the

style were executed on the structure. A new

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

, radiating chapels, expansions of the

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building wi ...

s, a chapter house,

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

aisles and a single-tower western section were all added. In 1539, as a result of the rebellion against

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

, who was baptized in the church, the old Abbey of St. Bavo was dissolved. Its abbot and monks went on to become canons in a Chapter that was attached to what then became the Church of Saint Bavo. When the

was founded in 1559, the church became its

. Construction was considered complete on June 7, 1569. In the summer of 1566, bands of Calvinist iconoclasts visited Catholic churches in the Netherlands, shattering stained-glass windows, smashing statues, and destroying paintings and other artworks they perceived as idolatrous. However, the altarpiece by the Van Eycks was saved.

Interior

''Ghent Altarpiece''

The cathedral is noted for the ''

'', originally in the Joost Vijd Chapel. It is formally known as the '' Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'' after its lower centre panel by

Hubert Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers ...

and

Jan Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

van Eyck Van Eyck or Van Eijk () is a Dutch toponymic surname. ''Eijck'', ''Eyck'', ''Eyk'' and ''Eijk'' are all archaic spellings of modern Dutch ("oak") and the surname literally translates as "from/of oak". However, in most cases, the family name refers ...

. This work is considered Van Eyck's masterpiece and one of the most important works of the early Northern Renaissance, as well as one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Part of the painting, the lowermost left panel known as ''

The Just Judges __NOTOC__ ''The Just Judges'' or ''The Righteous Judges'' is the lower left panel of the ''Ghent Altarpiece'', painted by Jan van Eyck or his brother Hubert Van Eyck between 1430 and 1432. It is believed that the panel shows portraits of severa ...

'', was stolen in 1934 and has not been recovered. It has since been replaced with a facsimile by Jef Van der Veken.

Other religious art

The cathedral is home to the works of other artists of note. It holds the painting ''Saint Bavo enters the Convent at Ghent'' by

Peter Paul 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 tradi ...

. There are also works by or after

Lucas de Heere Lucas de Heere (1534 – 29 August 1584) was a Flemish painter, poet and writer. His costume books and portraits are a valuable resource in depicting 16th-century clothing. Biography Lucas de Heere, a Protestant, was born in Ghent, the ...

, one of which is a ''View of Gent''.

Frans Pourbus the Elder Frans Pourbus the ElderGaëlle Brackez, ''Frans Pourbus de oudere (1545-1581) Een blik op zijn leven en oeuvre volume i: tekst'', Masterproef voorgelegd aan de Faculteit Letteren en Wijsbegeerte, Vakgroep Kunst -, Muziek- en Theaterwetenschappen ...

painted 14 panels representing the ''History of Saint Andrew'' (1572) and a ''Triptych of Viglius Aytta'' (1571). Caspar de Crayer is represented by paintings of ''St Macarius of Gent'', ''The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist'' and ''The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara''. The church also holds works by Antoon van den Heuvel including the ''Christ and the Adulterous Woman'' and the ''Resurrection of Christ''. There are also works by Lucas van Uden and

Jan van Cleef Jan van Cleve (III) or Jan van Cleef (III) (6 January 1646 – 18 December 1716) was a Dutch-born Flemish painter who is known for his altarpieces, allegorical pictures and mythological scenes.Petrus Norbertus van Reysschoot painted a series of 11

grisaille Grisaille ( or ; french: grisaille, lit=greyed , from ''gris'' 'grey') is a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many g ...

s, which decorate the choir of the cathedral, above the stalls. Five of these panels represent scenes from the Old Testament while the other six episodes from the New Testament. These paintings were placed in the cathedral between 1789 and 1791.Victor van der Haeghen, ''Reysschoot, Pierre-Norbert Van''
in: Biographie nationale de Belgique, Volume 19, p. 235-238 File:St. Bavos Cathedral Ghent.jpg, Interior of the Romanesque Crypt, with frescos of religious figures visible. File:Inside St. Bavos Cathedral Ghent.jpg, Elaborate stone and marble

s inside the upper church. File:Sint-Baafskathedraal Gand 304 orgue.jpg, The great organ built in 1935 by Klais is the biggest of the Benelux. File:Rubens kathedraal gent.JPG, Saint Bavo enters the Convent at Ghent. File:Petrus Norbertus van Reysschoot - The washing of the feet.jpg, ''The washing of the feet'' by Petrus Norbertus van Reysschoot.

Organs

The cathedral has four organs for use at liturgical celebrations. Most famous is the main organ in the Upper church, the biggest organ in the Benelux. In 1935 Mgr Coppieters commanded that the Klais organ from the world exhibition would be put inside the cathedral. The organ case dates from the 18th century and the complete organ has more than 6000 pipes inside. It has 5 manuals.

Choir

The most impressive part is the high choir with stalls for the members of the Chapter of Saint-Bavon. The episcopal throne is located on the right side with the episcopal arms visible. Highlights of the interior decoration of the choir include the Baroque high altar (1702–1782), in white, black, and red flamed marble, and the tomb monuments of Ghent bishops, including that of Antonius Triest, in white and black marble (1652–1654), a major work of Jerôme Duquesnoy (II). On the right side is the gallery with painted crests of the members of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In the choir is the 1559 painting ''

The Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon ''The Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon'', also known as Solomon and the Queen of Sheba,Wauters, Alphonse-Jules, ''The Flemish School of Painting'', Cassell Ltd, 1885, p. 168. is a painting by the Flemish painter Lucas de Heere. Dated from 1559, ...

'' by the Flemish artist

. This allegorical work depicts King Solomon as Philip II of Spain, recognizable by his facial features, receiving gifts from the

Queen of Sheba The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא‎, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she bring ...

, an allegory of the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

, representing that country donating its riches to the Spanish king in thanks for his prudent government.

Nave

In the nave we find an impressive

rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

pulpit (1741–1745), made in oak, gilded wood and white and black marble by Laurent Delvaux, with

wrought-iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a wood-like "grain" t ...

railings by J. Arens. There are also chairs designed by the contemporary designer Maarten Van Severen. The main altar is placed between the nave and the choir.

Treasury and crypt

In the Chapel of the Holiest an important ''Calvary Triptych'' is on display. This 15th-century work is attributed to

Justus van Gent Justus van Gent or Joos van Wassenhove (also: Justus or Jodocus of Ghent, or Giusto da Guanto) (c. 1410 – c. 1480) was an Early Netherlandish painter who after training and working in Flanders later moved to Italy where he worked for the ...

. Finally, there is a valuable collection of important liturgical plates, reliquaries, and liturgical vessels dating from the 15th century onward. Among the important reliquaries are the head of Saint John the Baptist and of Saint Macarius. The important collection of hand-embroidered and brocaded liturgical ornaments is widely known as one of the most important of the country, some of which are put on display.

Chapter of Saint-Bavo

Still today the chapter is housed inside the cathedral, since its foundation. Members have been important prelates and members of noble houses. Today

Jozef De Kesel Jozef De Kesel (born 17 June 1947) is a Belgian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal since 2016 and Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels since 2015. He served as Bishop of Bruges from 2010 to 2015. Early life De Kesel was b ...

is one of the honorary canons. The chapters of Haarlem and Ghent are united in friendship. Weekly the canons sing Mass with the bishop. * Maximilian van de Woestyne de Becelaere, died 1699: nephew of the

Marquess of Becelaere The Marquess of Becelaere is a former French title, now extinct. Becelaere, in Flanders, is an old spelling of Beselare, in Zonnebeke. History The title was created for Maximilien-Emmanuel de la Woestyne, 1st Marquess of Becelaere (1660-1729) ...

* Jacques Ignace van Parys, died 1702: grandson of Rubens. * Constant van Crombrugghe * François III Maria Rubens, died 1720: great grandson of Rubens. * Petrus Joseph Triest, founder of the

Brothers of Charity The Brothers of Charity are an international religious institute of Religious Brothers and associate members at the service of the people most in need in the field of education and health care. The institute was founded in 1807 by Peter Joseph Tr ...

* Thomas-Philip d'Alsace, Cardinal * Antoon Stillemans, before he was ordained bishop *

Gustaaf Joos Gustaaf Joos (; 5 July 1923 – 2 November 2004) was a prelate of the Diocese of Ghent, who was elevated to the Catholic College of Cardinals on 21 October 2003 by Pope John Paul II. Biography He studied with Karol Woytyla in the Belgian Pontif ...

, before he was created cardinal *

, honorary Canon *

Lode Aerts Lode Aerts (born 2 October 1959), identified also as Lodewijk Aerts, is a Belgian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Bishop of Bruges since December 2016. Biography Lode Aerts is a native of Geraardsbergen, diocese of Ghent. He attende ...

, before he was ordained bishop

Burials

Cornelius Jansen Cornelius Jansen (, ; Latinized name Cornelius Jansenius; also Corneille Jansen; 28 October 1585 – 6 May 1638) was the Dutch Catholic bishop of Ypres_in_Flanders.html" ;"title="atholic-Hierarchy]/ref> Its seat was Saint Martin's Cathedra ...

(1510–1576), first Bishop of Ghent (1565–1576) * Pieter Damant (1530-1609), third Bishop of Ghent (1589-1609) * Karl vanden Bosch, Bishop of Ghent *

Karel Justinus Calewaert Karel Justinus Calewaert (17 October 1893 – 27 December 1963) was a Belgian Roman Catholic bishop. Life Early years Calevaert was born in Deinze, a small town a short distance to the southwest of Ghent. His father, also named Justinus Calewa ...

, (1893–1963): 27th Bishop of Ghent (1948–1963) * Prince Ferdinand de Lobkowitz (1726–1795) Bishop of Ghent, 1779–1795 * Philippus Erardus van der Noot, baroque tomb by Jan Boeksent. * Jan de Smet, Bishop of Ghent * Jan-Frans van de Velde (1779–1838), 20th Bishop of Ghent. * Gerard van Eersel (died 1778), Bishop of Ghent * Ignace Schetz de Grobbendonk (1625–1680), 11th Bishop of Ghent (1679–1680) *

Michelle of Valois Michelle of France (11 January 1395 – 8 July 1422), also called Michelle of Valois, was Duchess consort of Burgundy as the first wife of Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, called "Philip the Good". She was born a princess of France as the daughter of ...

, Duchess of Burgundy

References

External links

* {{Authority control Roman Catholic cathedrals in Belgium Roman Catholic churches in Ghent Gothic architecture in Belgium Romanesque architecture in Belgium Churches in East Flanders Burial sites of the Pippinids 10th-century establishments in Belgium Tourism in Belgium 10th-century churches Religious buildings and structures completed in 942