Church of Our Lady, Bruges, Belgium

The Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) is one of the most remarkable churches in Bruges, Belgium, and a classic example of brick Gothic. Built mainly between the 13th and 15th centuries, it is famous for its brick spire: at 115.5 metres it is the second-highest brick tower in the world and, with the Belfry and St. Salvator’s Cathedral, shapes the skyline of the city. The church stands by the canals in the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

The church is best known for Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child. Originally made for the Piccolomini altar in Siena Cathedral, it was bought by the Mouscron family of Bruges merchants and shipped to the city in the early 16th century, the only sculpture by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime. The chancel holds the tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy, a Passion triptych by Bernard van Orley and an oratory that once linked the church with the neighbouring Gruuthuse palace.

Visitor Information

The church itself is free to visit, while the museum section with the Madonna and the mausoleums needs a ticket. The restored interior is quieter than the Belfry and the Markt. Photography without flash is usually allowed, but the church is sometimes closed to visitors during weddings and funerals.

A ticket for the museum section costs €10, €9 for visitors under 26 and €5 for under-18s; children under 13 enter free, and a combined ticket with the Gruuthuse Museum costs €19. The church is open from 9:30 to 17:00, on Sundays and Catholic holidays from 13:30 to 17:00; it closes at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December and is closed on 25 December, 1 January and Ascension Day. Mornings are the quietest time to visit.

The church is on Mariastraat in the historic centre, a few minutes on foot from St. Salvator’s Cathedral, the Gruuthuse Museum and the Markt, and about 15 minutes from Bruges railway station. City buses run from the station to the centre, and the surrounding canals and lanes are ideal for exploring medieval Bruges on foot.