Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels, Belgium

The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is the main Catholic church of Brussels, dedicated to the city’s patron saints, the archangel Michael and Saint Gudula. It stands on the Treurenberg hill between the Upper and Lower Town, and its two 64-metre towers are among the landmarks of the city skyline.

The present Gothic church was begun in 1226 on the site of an 11th-century Romanesque church and completed in 1519. The west front with its twin towers, attributed to Jan van Ruysbroeck, court architect of Philip the Good, was built in about 1470–1485. The church became a cathedral only in 1962, when it was made co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels.

Inside, the nave is lined with statues of the twelve apostles, and the Baroque oak pulpit by Hendrik Frans Verbruggen (1699) shows Adam and Eve driven out of Paradise. The 16th-century stained-glass windows include one designed by Bernard van Orley in 1537 showing Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, and the Grenzing organ of 2000 has some 4,300 pipes.

The cathedral hosts the great ceremonies of the Belgian state, such as the 1999 wedding of Prince Philippe and Mathilde, now King and Queen. Entry is free: it is open Monday to Friday 8:00–18:00, Saturday 8:00–17:00 and Sunday 13:00–18:00, but not during services. The treasury (€3), the Romanesque remains (€2) and, by appointment, the 11th-century crypt (€4) cost extra, and the towers can be climbed on booked tours from March to October.