Chapel Church

Brussels, Belgium

The Église de la Chapelle (French) or Kapellekerk (Dutch) is a Roman Catholic church founded in 1134 by Godfrey I of Leuven near what were then the town ramparts. The present structure dates from the 13th century. Part of the structure was damaged by the French during the bombardment of Brussels in 1695 as part of the War of the Grand Alliance. It was restored in 1866 and again in 1989. It contains work by Jerôme Duquesnoy and Lucas Faydherbe.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder was buried in this church. The funeral monument erected by his sons in his honour is still in place. Part of the relics of Saint Boniface of Brussels, Bishop of Lausanne, are also buried here.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Religious sites in Belgium

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Alex Matheson (2 months ago)
The Church of our Lady of the Chapel was a please to visit in Brussels. It was founded in 1134, making it one of the oldest in the city. It is a wonderful example of changes. It started as a Romanesque building and was converted to the Gothic style on the 1300s. It was renovated several times afterword, but the most important was the conversion to a Baroque chapel in the 17th century. It isn’t as extravagant as some of the other churches in the area, but it is an especially beautiful Chapel that is historically significant and well worth the visit. Easily accessible by public transport.
Beate Reifenscheid (4 months ago)
It's an impressive church with beautiful baroque elements. We experience a charming chorus singing Christmas Songs.
Courtney Crawford (2 years ago)
Beautiful church both inside and out. This church has less stained glass windows than others around the city but has a nice variety of paintings inside. Worth a visit!
Dan St-Jean (2 years ago)
A truly spectacular piece of Belgian history dating back to the 1100s. Stand in awe at the architecture and try and grasp how it must have been to build such a huge well appointed structure with the knowledge and tools of that period. Elegant yet simple. Beautiful yet humble.
Robin Irwin (2 years ago)
The original church dates back to 1134 and was signed by Count Godfrey I of Louvain, in which he donated a chapel erected extra oppidum Bruxelli ("outside the fortified centre of Brussels") to the Benedictine monks of Abbey of the Holy Sepulcher of Cambrai. Nothing remains of the original chapel, which was probably under the choir of the current church, whose construction began around 1210. In 1405, a fire destroyed the church. In 1574, the church was ransacked by Calvinists who destroyed its furnishing. In 1695, part of the structure was damaged during the bombardment of Brussels by the French army. It was restored from 1699 to 1708. From that on it was rebuilt multiple times untill this version of the church was made in 1989. It is a beautiful building to look at. Especially with the snow.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.