Basilica of the Holy Blood

Bruges, Belgium

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Bruges. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel of the residence of the Count of Flanders, the church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157, it was promoted to minor basilica in 1923.

The 12th-century basilica is located in the Burg square and consists of a lower and upper chapel. The lower chapel dedicated to St. Basil the Great is a dark Romanesque structure that remains virtually unchanged. The venerated relic is in the upper chapel, which was rebuilt in the Gothic style during the 16th century and renovated multiple times during the 19th century in Gothic Revival style.

Legend has it that after the Crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea wiped blood from the body of Christ and preserved the cloth. The relic remained in the Holy Land until the Second Crusade, when the King of Jerusalem Baldwin III gave it to his brother-in-law, Count of Flanders Diederik van de Elzas. The count arrived with it in Bruges on April 7, 1150 and placed it in a chapel he had built on Burg Square.

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Address

Burg 13, Bruges, Belgium
See all sites in Bruges

Details

Founded: 1134-1157
Category: Religious sites in Belgium

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

R B (4 months ago)
One of the must see in Brugge even if you are not a catholic. Just be aware that the relic in ONLY displayed every day from 2 to 4pm (14:00 to 16:00), so plan accordingly.
Ann Lynn (4 months ago)
The Basilica houses a sacred vial containing a cloth that is stained by the blood of Jesus Christ. It was a moving experience to see it face to face and visit this basilica which is also outstanding in beauty and a quiet place to pray while listening to the Gregorian chant. It is not allowed to take a picture of the relic.
Hugo Balas (6 months ago)
Free entrance. The upper part is a gothic style building, and the bottom part is a romanesque style building. This basilica contains blood from Jesus brought during the crusades. Very interesting.
IOQ Y (7 months ago)
Almost inconspicuous tucked away in a corner by the main medieval entrance into Brugges, this minor basilica is believes to house a piece of cloth with Christ's blood which is within a white side Chapel to the side of the main church. The reliefs felt more orthodox than Catholic actually with frescos within gold panels under a wooden roof. Solemn place worth taking a moment to ponder with respect. Free to enter donations are welcomed.
Lara Star Martini (8 months ago)
This is quite a different kind of church, with the focus being on where the holy relic is housed. There was a bit of a line to see it, but it was worthwhile. There is a museum inside that has a lot of artwork and objects. The best part was seeing the architecture which was very different form typical churches. Lots of bricks, and brick vaulted ceilings. The entire back of the main room was a painted fresco. There were very interesting and well-done stained glass circles depicting everyday life that was in the museum area. There are lots of stairs, so be mindful when you visit. Even the architecture outside was unique to this particular church- possibly because this building was touching others and was not a typical free-standing church as most are. Definitely worth a visit if in Bruges.
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