- Church of Our Lady, Bruges
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Church of Our Lady
Church of Our LadyCoordinates: 51°12′17″N 3°13′28″E / 51.20472°N 3.22444°E Location Bruges Country Belgium Denomination Roman Catholic History Dedication Mary Architecture Status Church Architectural type Church Style Gothic Specifications Height 122.3 m (401 ft 3 in) Materials Brick The Church of Our Lady (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) in Bruges, Belgium, dates mainly from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries.
Its tower, at 122.3 meters in height, remains the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world (the tallest being the St. Martin's Church in Landshut, Germany).
In the choir space behind the high altar are the tombs of Charles the Bold, last Valois Duke of Burgundy, and his daughter, the duchess Mary. The gilded bronze effigies of both father and daughter repose at full length on polished slabs of black stone. Both are crowned, and Charles is represented in full armor and wearing the decoration of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
The altarpiece of the large chapel in the southern aisle enshrines the most celebrated art treasure of the church—a white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child created by Michelangelo around 1504. Probably meant originally for Siena Cathedral, it was purchased in Italy by two Brugean merchants, the brothers Jan and Alexander Mouscron, and in 1514 donated to its present home. The sculpture was twice recovered after being looted by foreign occupiers—French revolutionaries circa 1794 and Nazi Germans in 1944.
Contents
Gallery
Exterior
Interior
Works of Art
References
- (Dutch) Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, Kerknet Vlaanderen
- T. Francis Bumpus, The Cathedrals and Churches of Belgium, London: TW Laurie, 1909, pp.138-144
- Jerry R. Hobbs, A Michelangelo in Belgium? The Bruges Madonna
Tallest buildings and structures in Belgium Skyscrapers South Tower · Finance Tower · Dexia Tower · Madou Plaza Tower · Astro Tower · North Galaxy Towers · World Trade Center · Belgacom Towers · KBC TowerRadio and TV towers VRT Zendstation Egem · Sint-Pieters-Leeuw Tower · Zendmast Ruiselede (destroyed) · Wavre Transmitter · Mechelen-Zuid Telecommunications and Water TowerOther Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp · Church of Our Lady, Bruges · Brussels Justice Palace · Atomium · Saint Martin's Cathedral, Ypres · Saint Vincent Church · St. Rumbold's Cathedral · Brussels Town Hall · Pont de WandreCategories:- Churches in Bruges
- Gothic architecture in Belgium
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