Tag Archives: church

Notre-Dame de Laeken

l’Église Notre-Dame de Laeken (Our Lady of Laeken Church) is well known as the official burial place for Belgium’s kings and queens. The Construction of this church began in 1854 to honor the memory of the first Queen of the Belgians Louise-Marie, who died in 1850.

The architect J. Poelaert was chosen after a competition was held, but he resigned from the project in 1865. This led to many interruptions in building work, which was finally restarted between 1904 and 1911 by his fellow architect von Schmidt from Munich.
With the assistance of the architect Groothaert, von Schmidt built a new facade in front of the first one and completed the towers and steeple. The royal crypt, the windows and furnishings with their Gothic character make the church one of the most important Neogothic buildings in the region.

Location of Notre-Dame de Laeken Church:


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Photos of Notre-Dame de Laeken:

Our Lady of Laeken Church from a distance

Details of stone carving

Grimacing demons around the towers serve as protection

At its feet

View from the back of Notre-Dame de Laeken

From the back side

Entering inside Notre-Dame de Laeken

Depictions of Jesus and Mary

Church high Walls

confessional

Depictions Saint Antoine and Saint Theresa

Central portion of Our Lady of Laeken Church

Seated portion on the left

The organ

Depiction of Saint Roch

Back Stained Glass Windows

View of Our Lady of Laeken Church from high up at the organ

Closer look at the ceremony underway

Entering the Royal Crypt

Five Belgian kings and their wives lay for their eternal rest here

King Leopold I and Louise-Marie

King Leopold II and Marie Henriette of Austria

King Albert I and Elisabeth

King Leopold III &  Astrid

King Baudouin

Eglise Saint-Joseph

L’église Saint-Joseph or in English the Saint-Joseph Church is the core and heart of the “Quartier Leopold”, this national monument celebrating Belgium’s patron saint, was built between 1842 and 1849 and was designed by T.-F. Suys, architect of the “Civil society for the Extension and Embellishment of Brussels” which was at the origin of this vast extramural urban expansion project.

The Neo-Renaissance façade was simultaneously inspired by famous Italian edifices and by classical French architecture.

The inside of the church presents a basilica-like layout

Closer look from down the aisle

Virgin Mary statue

Featured in its flat chevet is a large painting by A. Wiertz, “The Holy Family”

Confessionals

Eglise Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours

Église Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours, or in English the church of Our Lady of Assistance is located at Rue du Marché au Charbon. Originally a modest 12th century chapel that became too small for the growing Parish the architects Pierre-Paul Merckx and Jean Corvrindt demolished the surrounding walls and built in 1669 the church we know of today. They took inspiration from Italy when designing this church. The result was a very skillful combination of two styles produced a very interesting Baroque Flemish-Italian mix that differs a lot from the traditional Flemish style.

Full view from rue jardin des olives

Now from the other side which also hosts popular cafés

The Exterior:

Facade with cross of Teutonic order

The Interior:

View as you enter

Main Altar

Altar of Saint Joseph

Altar of Saint James

Gorgeous looking resurrect Christ made of hammered copper

Chapelle de la Madeleine

Chapelle de la Madeleine or in English The Church of St. Mary Magdalene is one of the oldest churches in Brussels, having been established by the Brothers of Mercy in the 13th century. Excavations carried out when the church was last restored (1956-1958) revealed sub-foundation walls, thereby proving the existence of a much older sanctuary built, it is believed, by the Knights Templar on the foundations of which the present church was initially built.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene viewed from the side

This small church displays a remarkable unity, thereby enabling it to provide a much-valued place prayer, contemplation and liturgy There is a harmony between the dimensions of the church, the materials used in its construction and the color of the stained-glass windows. At the beginning of the 13th century two aisles were added to the church.This is also the period when the facade with its large stained-glass window was built, as was, it is believed, the small bell tower above the facade.

The external door, which bears the date 1637, is from the baroque period (17th century).The church was on the point of being demolished in the wake of the major urban redevelopment which took place in Brussels from the beginning of the 20th century. The church was abandoned and emptied but was fortunately finally granted a reprieve and fully restored in the period 1956 to 1958, whilst the surrounding area was razed to the ground.

Before entering the chapel take a look at the small statues of St. Mary Magdalene, portrayed wearing medieval dress, and the statue of St. Anne carrying the infant Jesus.

At rue de la Madelaine to take a look at the very fine Baroque facade of the Chapel of St. Anne.

 

In the course of the restoration work in the 1950s the Chapel of St. Anne, formerly situated in the rue de la Montagne, was rebuilt and attached to the church. The chapel has a baroque facade dating from 1615. This new addition to the church houses a much-visited chapel dedicated to St. Rita Access is via the left aisle of the church.

 


One glance inside the church is enough to enable you to recognize its harmonious dimensions and atmosphere of peace and contemplation. On looking further, your eyes are drawn towards the sparsely decorated chancel and, in particular, the cross in the center, which serves to remind you that a church is above all a place of prayer. From the cross, your eyes are drawn upwards to the five Gothic stainer-glass windows of the impressive chancel. The overriding image is one of vertical lines, providing a sense of elevation. The chancel seems to advance into the nave and image enhanced by the series of ceiling ribs up to the enormous arch which spans the whole building and seems to divide it. At this point the ribbed ceiling gives way to a flat, oak-panelled ceiling, one of the few to be found in Brussels.

The stained-glass window above the icon depicts the assumption of the Virgin Mary. St. Augustin and St. Monica are depicted to the left and right of the Virgin Mary. These are the main patron saints of the monks of the Order of the Assumption, who have been officiating at the church since 1924. The five stained-glass windows in the chancel depict the story of the redemption, linked. to the life of St. Mary Magdalene.

In the center we see the Cross of Jesus Christ. Through Christ’s sacrifice man is freed of sin (right windows) and the path is opened to the resurrection and the contemplation of the lord (left windows). The stained-glass windows in the aisles depict saints, each of whose name is indicated. Nicholas Pieck (3rd window, bottom left) was known for his preaching, particularly in this church.

He was one of the martyrs of Gorcum (1572) whose shrine is in the Church of St. Nicholas in Brussels. St.julienne of Mont-Cornillon (second window, bottom left) is the saint from Liege who inspired devotion to the Holy Sacrament.

The centre of Services at the church of St. Mary Magdalene

Services given in French

Persons in charge:
Fraternity of the Assumption
Rue des Braves 21
B – 1081 Bruxelles
Tel: (02) 410 29 57
Fax: (02) 410 30 73

Divine Service Mass – Monday to Friday
at 12 noon and 7 p.m.

Mass – Saturday and Sunday

Saturday at 4.30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday at 7.30 a.m., 9.30 a.m.,
10.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Information and confessions

Every day from 5.30 p.m. to 7p.m.
Rosary
Every day before evening mass
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Every day from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30
P.m.
Mass in honor of St. Rita: 10 a.m.
on the first Thursday of every month.