From the owner: En plein centre Cette église de style gothique fut édifié en cinq siècles! Elle est composée de…read morecinq nefs de hauteur égale (ce qui est rare)et ornée d'une dizaine de toiles de dimension importante de Van Oost et d'une petite toile anonyme plus ancienne représentant Saint Maurice.

After we had dropped off our bags we decided to go for a bit of a wander around Lille and, and we…read morehad previously walked past this rather large church so we decided to step inside to have a look around. Well, as you can expect this place was pretty impressive, but then again this is something that I have basically come to expect of most churches in on the continent, especially the larger ones. In a way this was similar to many of the other cathedrals that I had wondered into, but that didn't mean that it was any less stunning. Like many of these older Cathedrals the architecture was stunning, as was the interior art and decorations. It was a fantastic place to spend some time.

From the owner: Au C'ur de la ville 'uvre de Jules Batigny, cette église catholique fut construite entre 1875 et…read more1926. A l'intérieur, on peut notamment admirer une splendide chaire et, dans la chapelle inaugurée en juin 1890, de magnifiques vitraux classés monuments historiques, exécutés à Chartres d'après les dessins du peintre valenciennois H.Crauck.

Unfortunately the cathedral was closed to the public the day I was in Arras. However this church…read morewasn't, which meant we could go inside for a bit of a wander. Actually, being quite close to the centre of town also made it somewhat more attractive, and it was a bit of a hike to the cathedral. Then again Arras is a small town so getting pretty much anywhere is a bit of a hike. However, like a lot of the churches, this one had a gorgeous interior, and is certainly worth stepping inside simply to have a look around. I won't necessarily say that it has character, but it does have a feel about it that make sit a pleasant place to visit.

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!

This was much smaller and than a lot of the other churches that I visited, but unfortunately the…read moremain cathedral wasn't open to the public, at least from when I was standing outside looking for a way in. However, while wandering down one of the streets I came across this place which was open to the public meaning that we were able to go inside and have a look around. This is quite a nice little church, and has its fair share of religious works of art including paintings and statuary. However, as I mentioned, it is rather small so don't expect too much from it.

The basilica was tucked away in a corner of this plaza hemmed in on one side by City Hall and the…read moreother side by the Basilica of St. Basil. I was able to enter the Basilica before mass and had the opportunity to explore both chapels. Upstairs was the ornate and richly painted chapel with a beautiful wooden ceiling. Downstairs the chapel was quite stark and a bit dark. Quite a contrast between the two different styles. The relic containing the cloth with the blood of Christ was located on a platform overseen by a sitting priest. One queued at the bottom while the person ahead spent time looking at the container. I suggest starting here before exploring the rest of the basilica in case of lines.

Tucked away in the corner of the square laid the church that has a sample cloth of Jesus' blood…read more The church had many wooden pieces and relics. Wonderful place to sit and reflect.