This is a very caring church and lovely people working here. In this church there are always a lot…read moreof people coming here on a Sunday to pray. Parents always take their children too, who always get a smile on their faces from the people in the church. The International Baptist Church is very easy accessible as it is in a friendly and caring neighbourhood. There are also a lot of parking spaces available for those who come here by car. It is not the biggest church I would say, but it is well worth while giving this church a visit if you are in the local area.

What an awe-inspiring church. The altar itself is something to marvel at alone…read more St. Carolus Borromeus kerk (church) seems to have had several incidents with fire and the elements which stole 39 irreplaceable ceiling paintings, however the ceiling painting toward the altar was spared and gives a glimpse of what once was. The altar alone could be studied for hours. It's ornate and finely detailed with baroque artwork and architecture that is common to a lot of Belgium's churches and buildings. The painting at the altar also is capable of being changed using the original mechanism set in place. St. Carolus is hard to miss if you walk up onto it as the outside of the church is very ornate, as well, utilizing the gold embellishments and certainly a nice stop to study art history and architecture. The inside of this church has been one of my more favorite to have visited thus far. When we visited, the church interior was under construction which seems to be a trend for a lot of churches and cathedrals in the area, but it was nice to just get out of the cold rain and look at beautiful architecture.

We visited on 10/3/24. My husband and I love cathedrals so we always try to see them in new cities…read more The inside was exquisite. The details the art it was inspiring and breathtaking. It had this energy of peace and tranquility that I loved. I am very grateful we got to experience this.

Truly a stunning cathedral both inside and outside. I thought it was going to be a quick in and out…read morehaving seen a lot of the amazing churches in Europe but this one is up there as well and we ended up spending a lot of time here including some time to meditate. It was not crowded so did not feel rushed which was nice.

I spent the day in Antwerp to see where Rubens lived, and where he was laid to rest. This is the…read morechurch you can pay your respects to the great painter. The church is not as big as other cathedrals in the country, but that doesn't mean this is not impressive. There was a lovely couple who was manning the welcome desk when I arrived, and they gave me some information and a pamphlet, and I thanked them by donating to the church. The interior is very different, with a lot of white and one area was whitewashed, and a totally different aesthetic and feel as opposed to the larger, darker stone churches. It was nice to see a different style and experience a different type of interior. It was similar but distinct, and had its own vibe so to speak. Of course, the stunning part was a large Rubens- because of course there had to be one! This is a perfect way to end your day if you visited the Rubens house as well.

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!

Okay, it may not be St Bartholomews, complete with an awesome altarpiece, however it still has its…read moreown character, namely because it is basically the oldest church in Ghent. In fact I suspect it is the oldest church in Belgium or even beyond namely because it dates back to the middle ages. Like a lot of the churches on the continent (and elsewhere), you can wonder inside and have a look around, but only at certain times because it is still a functioning church and they still perform mass here (though I suspect that is the case with most of the churches around here). It particularly liked it, especially the history, but also because the guy standing at the front kindly explained a few things to me, such as why the pulpit is in the middle of the church as opposed to the front.

Absolutely stunning. By far, one of the most beautiful churches that I've toured in Europe. Well…read moreworth a visit!

Well, now that I had left the Netherlands and was in Belgium I could once again indulge in some of…read morethe really old, and incredibly beautiful, churches. While this church isn't the Cathedral, unlike the Cathedral it does have free entry, and is also much, much quieter, so you can spend a lot more time immersed in the beauty of the place. The interesting thing that at the time I was in Antwerp they had a special walking tour of all the churches, and sure enough this one was on it. Mind you, I can't say all that much about this particular church other than it is smaller and quieter than the Cathedral, and also free entry. Like a lot of the Catholic churches around the place this one is also incredibly beautiful.

Another large and beautiful church we saw on our visit to Brussels…read more The church was massive and magnificent! The stained glass windows were beautiful. We came at the perfect time to see some light peeking through the glass into the pews. It was an amazing part of our journey. This is why we stop into churches and take a moment to look around.

This is a beautiful Gothic cathedral. I had the pleasure of visiting for an event called…read moreLuminescence. It had two showings at night, and it was a beautiful lightshow accompanied by music along with the retelling of its history. Truly a magical experience. A live orchestra played as the lights danced and illuminated the architecture. I would love to come back and see the stain glassed windows in all its glory in the daytime. But overall, it is obvious in its grandeur and beauty it also holds a great historical significance to Brussels.