Church of Our Lady 🇧🇪

When you visit Bruges, Belgium, the Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) stands out with its 115.6-meter-high tower, making it the city's tallest structure and the third tallest brickwork church tower in the world. Built mainly during the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, the church features exterior Gothic flying buttresses from the 1270s and 1280s, alongside nave cross-vaults and black-and-white tiled flooring. Inside, you will see heavily ornamented Baroque side aisles and chancel, as well as a private worship chapel created in 1482 for Lodewijk van Gruuthuse.

The church holds incredible historical art and royal history, including the choir space tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter, Duchess Mary of Burgundy. Created by Jan Borman, their gilded bronze effigies rest on black stone slabs, with glass openings revealing wall frescoes. Your visit will also lead you to the Cappella sacra in the southern aisle, home to the church's most celebrated art treasure: Michelangelo's white marble Madonna and Child sculpture, completed in 1506.

Donated in 1514 by the Mouscron brothers, it was the only Michelangelo sculpture to leave Italy during his lifetime and has survived looting by French revolutionaries and Nazi Germans.

What to see at Church of Our Lady

• Marvel at the 115.6-meter tower, the tallest structure in Bruges.
• See Michelangelo's famous 1506 white marble Madonna and Child sculpture.
• View the choir tombs of Charles the Bold and Duchess Mary of Burgundy. Roman Catholic church dating to the 13th-15th centuries.
• Explore Gothic flying buttresses and ornate Baroque side aisles and chapels.

Visiting tips

Look through the glass over the royal tomb openings in the choir space to see the wall frescoes visible from above.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Early morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Church of Our Lady is easy to reach on Bruges’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Bruges travel guide.