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    Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed

    4.3 (24 reviews)

    Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed Photos

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    Miranda C.

    Very ornate church! Paintings all over the cathedral! It is beautiful to walk through! Free to visit! Absolutely worth the stop when in the area! It was a quick stop for me less than 20 minutes spent!

    Michael F.

    Not a destination that will take you significant time nor one I would say you must prioritize unless you are a devout catholic, this small church is free to the public and runs on donations. Inside you'll find a lot of things typical of a church. However, what is unique is the opportunity to queue up to see an artifact which is said to be the Blood of Christ. It is presented for viewing daily, guard by a priest. The hours variety a bit by the season but are clearly posted in multiple languages.

    Binnen
    Ellen H.

    Deze basiliek is absoluut een bezoekje waard voor de architectuur en geschiedenis alleen al. Of je nu gelovig bent of niet, het is zeker een plaats waar je stil van wordt. Het heilige bloed is goed zichtbaar omwille van de glazen koker waarin het werd geplaatst. Wij hoefden geen ticket te betalen om binnen te gaan, al wordt er wel overal om donaties gevraagd. De schatkamer is wel ter betaling.

    Isabella B.

    Like Ray and Ken from the movie "In Bruges", I'm sightseeing in the city to get my cultural fix. Luckily for me I'm sightseeing under much more pleasant circumstances. After the Belfort, the cultural attraction that is most often associated with Bruges is the Basilica of the Holy Blood. It is tucked away in a corner next to Burg Square. The chapel was built to house a tabernacle safeguarding a vial containing Jesus' blood dabbed from a cloth during his crucifixion. According to legend Joseph of Arimathea collected the blood. It remained in Jerusalem until the vial was given to Thierry of Alsace as a gift by his half-brother-in-law for helping out in the Second Crusade during the 12th century. In reality its origin may have been more grim as most likely this relic was looted from Constantinople at around the same time. Veneration of the Holy Blood is conducted from 11:30-12:00 and from 2:00 to 4:00 every day. Admission is free. The sight can easily be visited in 30 minutes. --- The basilica itself is divided up into two chapels: the lower chapel designed in the older Romanesque style and the upper chapel designed in the newer Gothic style that houses the relic. The exterior facade and staircase links these two chapels together. - The lower chapel is dedicated to Saint Basil the Great. The chapel houses a relic said to be from the saint himself. In comparison to the upper chapel, the lower chapel is more simple and bleak. - The upper chapel was once done in the Romanesque style but then renovated in the Gothic style. One of the frescoes depict the vial's origin story. - For about €2.50 you can go inside the treasury. Though not necessary you can view more items including a reliquary where the vial is carried around on procession days. PS: The Jerusalem Chapel was used in the movie to simulate the "Basilica of the Holy Blood" as the real church wouldn't let them use their facilities during filming.

    Not mine (from their site)
    Kim N.

    There is so much old architecture in Brugge, you get stuff stack next to, behind and even on top of each other. This 12th century basilica holds the the relic of the Holy Blood from Thierry of Alsace. The lower chapel to St Basil is Romanesque while the upper is both Gothic and Bothic revival. Im not totally into the religious stuff but the historic architecture is truly fascinating especially when you grow in an area where the 1950s is as old as it generally gets

    Kayley N.

    Being Catholic, visiting the Basilica of the Holy Blood was on my list of sites to see while in Brugge. My mom and I picked the perfect time, right before Mass on a weekday morning. The line to see the relic of Christ's blood was short, and while even my Catholic self doubted this really was the blood of Christ, it did offer a few moments to quiet prayer and reflection before the nun in front of me shooed me off. The church is free to visit and ornate compared to the churches in the States. My mother and I also attended Mass here the next day, granted we could only understand the Latin (both of us being taught in a Catholic school after all). It was a nice respite from our constant travels and felt like we were with our people, so to speak, for a moment. Even if you're not Catholic, it's still worth a moment to pop in and look around. You can't beat free.

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    Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed

    Being Catholic, visiting the Basilica of the Holy Blood was on my list of sites to see while in Brugge.

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    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk - Michaelangelo Madonna

    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

    4.2(13 reviews)
    0.5 km

    Its 300 ft tall brick tower, the second tallest of the world, illustrates the craftsmanship of the…read moreBruges builders. Since it was Sunday this historic church was closed to the public. Inside we missed art treasures, Michelangelo's world-famous marble Madonna & Child as the absolute highlight. The rich church interior contains numerous paintings, 13th and 14th century painted crypts and the 15th and 16th century tombs of Mary of Burgundy & Charles the Bold.

    Aside from the Belfort, one of the church towers dominating the Bruges skyline belongs to this…read morechurch, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary can be found throughout the Benelux region. While this church does not have cathedral status (that's in Antwerp), it has the distinction of housing the only Michelangelo sculpture to make it outside Italy. LOGISTICS - Church is free to enter, but most of the church's main attractions are sequestered from public view. To access this area costs €6. At the time of visit some parts of the church are under construction. - You can buy a combination ticket that also includes the connecting Gruuthusemuseum for €14. This is worth it if you like to deep-dive into Bruges' history. Highlights - 115.5 meter brick tower, second tallest in the world. - Ceremonial tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold, located in the choir. Charles died in battle, while his daughter Mary died in a horse riding accident. - The aforementioned Michelangelo sculpture of Mary and baby Jesus in Carrara marble. The sculpture was originally meant for Siena Cathedral but was purchased by a Bruges merchant family while in Italy, who then shipped it to Bruges. - Wooden prayer chapel meant for the private worship of the family of Louis of Gruuthuse. While the exterior is seen from this church, the interior is accessed through the connecting Gruuthusemuseum. This church is definitely a highlight of one's trip to Bruges, especially if one has been to Italy beforehand and has seen all of Michelangelo's works.

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    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

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    Sint-Baafskathedraal

    Sint-Baafskathedraal

    4.6(25 reviews)
    38.9 km

    St. Bavo's Cathedral was the must stop for me in Ghent to see the Adoration of the Lamb altarpiece…read morepainted by Jan Van Eck. The only way to view it required a 12.5E admission which gained entrance to the rear of the cathedral. The altarpiece was located behind a glass enclosure not only to protect it from the environment but also prevent any more thefts. Most of the altarpiece appeared in vivid colors and in great detail from the recently completed restoration of the lower panels. The top panels were high resolution copies (you can see the originals still being restored at the Museum of Fine Arts - MSK). Don't just look at the front but also circle around to the sides to see more paintings. Those would be shown in front when the altarpiece sides were swung shut. Another masterpiece located in the rear was the Conversion of St. Bavo by another great artist, Peter Paul Ruebens. St. Bavo is the patron saint of Ghent. The rest of the cathedral was admission free to wander and other items of interest were the statue of Father Damiaan and the very detailed carved pulpit.

    I've done a lot of church "tours" in my travels. It is always nice to see their art, explore their…read morealtars, and in general experience the culture. However, I've never seen one have an immersive, holographic experience... until now. Rather than just walk around and stare, or even try to partially follow an audio tour, you are provided with a headset which syncs to the various areas of the church to provide a deep historical overview. I loved how the graphics made it clear how the church grew (no more wondering if 'that' was the area they meant). The detail was amazing, even down to the noise from the virtual crowds which got louder or softer as you moved towards or away from them. The Lamb of God painting was not one I was familiar with and getting the details on not just its production but movements over time helped me appreciate it even more! I wouldn't usually say you need to prioritize a church when exploring a European city but in this case I would highly recommend you not only visit but opt for the immersive tour!

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    Sint-Baafskathedraal
    Sint-Baafskathedraal
    Sint-Baafskathedraal

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    Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed - churches - Updated May 2026

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