Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
French: Cathédrale des Saints Michel et Gudule Dutch: Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele
50°50′52″N 4°21′37″E / 50.84778°N 4.36028°E / 50.84778; 4.36028
Location	Parvis Sainte-Gudule / Sinter-Goedelevoorplein B-1000 City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region
Country	Belgium
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Co-cathedral (Cathedral status from 1962)
Dedication	Saint Gudula and Saint Michael (patron saints of Brussels)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Protected
Designated	05/03/1936
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Brabantine Gothic
Years built	11th–15th centuries (church) 1485 (facade and towers)
Groundbreaking	c. 9th century (chapel)
Completed	1519
Specifications
Number of towers	2
Number of spires	2
Spire height	64 metres (210 ft)
Administration
Archdiocese	Mechelen-Brussels

St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral is the Cathedral in Brussels. It is named in honour of St. Michael and St. Gudula. In Dutch it is called Sint-Michiels- en Sint-Goedelekathedraal, usually shortened to "Sint-Goedele". In French it is called Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule.It is the main church of the bishop of Brussels and Mechelen.

There already was a shrine (or chapel) to Saint Michael there in the 8th century. The Cathedral was begun in 1226. Building finished when the belltower (or belfry) was done, at the end of the 15th century. The cathedral is built in Gothic style. As it is the main Church of the Kingom of Belgium, there are often royal ceremonies (marriages, funerals) there.

Images for kids

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  Detail of Pastoral Instruction, c. 1480, showing the Church of St. Gudula's north tower still incomplete

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  The cathedral's main features

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  Miniature of Margaret of York praying in front of the Church of St. Gudula, c. 1468

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  St. Gudula's Church by Erycius Puteanus, 1646

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  St. Gudula's Church by Andreas Martin, before 1762

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  St. Gudula's Church in the early 20th century

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  The street in front of the church (now demolished) in the 1920s

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  The western facade

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  The central portal

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  Ogival window and decorative merlon

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  Statue of Saint Michael

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  View of the apse and chapels

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  Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of the Miracle

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  Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen (or Maes Chapel)

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  View of the monumental staircase

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  Bust of King Baudouin in front of the Cathedral

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  Closeup of King Baudouin's bust

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  The nave lined with cylindrical columns supporting the twelve statues of the apostles

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  Baroque pulpit by Hendrik Frans Verbruggen (1699)

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  Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden of Eden, detail of the pulpit

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  Confessional by anonymous (17th century)

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  The choir

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  The vault of the choir

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  Marble and alabaster altarpiece by Jean Mone (1538)

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  Statue of Saint Gudula

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  Western facade: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after Bernard van Orley depicting the Last Judgement (1528)

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  Northern transept: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after Bernard van Orley depicting Charles V (1537)

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  Southern transept: stained glass window by Jan Haeck after Bernard van Orley depicting Louis II of Hungary (1538)

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  Three scenes of the Legend of the Sacrament of Miracle. Stained glass windows by Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (c. 1870)

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  Organ by Gerhard Grenzing (2000)

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  Choir organ by Patrick Collon [de] (1977)