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Sainte
Gudule / Michael Church.
The building of the Cathedral (which used to be the
collegiate church of St.Michael and St.Gudula) started at the
beginning of the 13th century on the orders of Henry the 1st,
duke of Brabant. This period coincides with the upcoming gothic
style in our regions. It took about 300 yeras to finish this
incredible and giganric monument under the reign of the emperor
Charles V. Its architecture whows the different characteristics
of the Brabantine gothic Style. The restoration of the nave
from 1983 to 1989 gave to the stones, vaults and windows the
spendour of the old days. It was then possible to uncover important
and well preserved remnants of the Romanesque Church of the
Eleventh Century over which the present gothic church is built
on ( visits to these remains are possible)
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All through the 20th century the Cathedral has
almost continuously been renovated. The renovation was completed
in December 1999 when the marriage of the Belgian Crown Prince
Philippe with his bride Princess Mathilda took place here,
on the 4th of December.
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Via a large staircase (built in 1861) the three
gates of the entrance can be reached. Inside, 12 pillars clearly
determine the interior of the cathedral, whereas the triforia
and glass-stained windows accentuate the later gothic style
which allowed more light to fall in to the church. The choir
is darker because of the smaller window openings. In the northern
chapel on the left side of the choir, one can see the portraits
of several kings and emperors who bestowed the richly decorated
glass-stained windows.
The cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is first and foremost
a religious building but also, next to its architectural and
artistic beauty, a cultural centre for different forms of
expression whatever they may be, for those who share a thrue
sense of spirituality
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