Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp with Tallest Belfry of Belgium

Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp was high in our list of sights to see during the self planned, self guided walking tour of Antwerp with books and maps.

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

Just see the impressive facade of Cathedral of Our (Dear) Lady in Antwerp! It is locally called Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal. This cathedral is the largest one in Belgium, covering an area of 2.5 acres.

Its belfry is the tallest church tower in whole of Belgium and is included in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. The tower is 403ft tall, carillon in the belfry has 49 bells. This North tower, a landmark in Antwerp, is cherished by all its citizens.

So famed it is, that there are songs written about it!

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp Belgium

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

The planned second tower at the south never came up due to lack of funds. Take a good look at the central doorway to the Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp. Such details!

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp: History

Construction of this cathedral was completed in 1521, 170 years after it was started. It was built on foundations of older Romanesque church. The cathedral has a turbulent past: damaged badly in fire in 1533, then damaged in religious wars, and looted during French Revolution.

When I visited the church part of the interiors was under renovation. The clock on the tower is an addition from the 18th century. Lot of changes and restorations are being done. Future tourists and travelers to Antwerp will definitely benefit from this.

Ceiling of Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

Interior of Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp Tour

What to see in this HUGE Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp! Unless you have unlimited time in hand you have to plan a quick tour of the interior of the cathedral and take care not to miss the highlights of this grand cathedral.

  • Exterior of Cathedral is authentic Gothic.
  • Much of the interior is 19th century neo-Gothic
  • Baroque art, 4 works by local artist Peter Paul Rubens
  • Paintings, Works of Art, Organ, Crypt and Tower

Stain glass paintings

Masterpieces by Rubens

Several paintings by local artist Rubens is on display in the interior of the cathedral. It is hard to rush by these amazing works of art.

Watch out for

  1. The Elevation of the Cross (triptych 1609 – 1610)
  2. The Descent from the Cross (triptych 1612)
  3. The Ressuruction of Christ (triptych 1612)
  4. The Assumption of Mary (altarpiece 1612)

Masterpieces by Rubens Antwerp

Ruben triptych Antwerp

Ruben triptych Antwerp

Timings of the Cathedral

Antwerp Cathedral is open from 10am to 5pm on week days. Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, and on Sunday and public holidays from 1 to 4 pm. It is closed to public when used for funerals and weddings. So check dates before planning the visit. You can purchase online tickets for admission to the cathedral.

Read more: Best Places to Visit in Belgium

Pin this for later…

Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp Tour

(This post was first published on Jun 7, 2012.)

Experiential Travel Trends: Why People Travel
Roof Tiles of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna

20 Responses to “Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp with Tallest Belfry of Belgium

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.