St. Donatian’s Cathedral 🇧🇪

As you explore Bruges, Belgium, you can discover the history of St. Donatian's Cathedral (Sint-Donaaskathedraal), a former Roman Catholic cathedral located on the Burg, one of the city's main squares.

Originally built as a Romanesque church around 950 AD by Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, to house the relics of Saint Donatian, it eventually became the largest church in Bruges and was designated a cathedral in 1562. The site holds dramatic historical significance: Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, was assassinated here in 1127, and the famous painter Jan van Eyck was buried in the church in 1441.

It also once housed famous artworks, including Jan van Eyck's altarpiece "The Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele" and Jan Provoost's altarpiece "Mary in Glory." Although French First Republic forces destroyed the cathedral in 1799 during the aftermath of the French Revolution, you can still encounter its legacy today. Head across from the Stadhuis (city hall) to the site now occupied by the Crowne Plaza Brugge Hotel, where the original cathedral foundations—uncovered in 1955—are still visible in the hotel's cellars.

What to see at St. Donatian's Cathedral

• Learn about the largest church in Bruges, built c. 950 AD in the Romanesque style.
• Discover the site where Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, was assassinated in 1127.
• See the former burial place of renowned artist Jan van Eyck.
• View the uncovered 10th-century foundations preserved beneath a modern hotel on the Burg square.

Visiting tips

Head into the cellars of the Crowne Plaza Brugge Hotel on the Burg to view the original cathedral foundations uncovered in 1955.

How long: 1 hour · Best time: During hotel cellar opening hours

How to get there & what’s nearby

St. Donatian's Cathedral is easy to reach on Bruges’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Church of Our Lady and Groeningemuseum. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Bruges travel guide.