Onze+Lieve+Vrouwekerk

Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk is translated to Church of Our Lady. It is located in Bruges, Belgium. The church was built around the 13th or 14th century. Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk is the tallest structure in Bruges with its tower being 122.3 meters tall. It is the second tallest brick tower in the world. Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk has a gothic style architecture which means the church has a medieval look. Gothic architecture characteristics include slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses with vaulting and pointed arches.

Throughout its history, the church was used by religious refugees, the Huguenots, in the 17th century. These pilgrims used the church for their ceremonies, including baptisms, weddings and funerals. Eventually, the church had to be demolished because it was falling apart. When archeologists discovered remains of the original church, it was restored.

Inside the church there are many old paintings like the Crucifixion of Christ by Anthony van Dyck. One of Michelangelo's sculptures, Madonna and Child, is also displayed in the chapel. Near the statue are two tombs. The tombs house the remains of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and his daughter, Duchess Mary. The tombs are displayed beautifully on polished slabs of black stone. Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk is still an active church today. It has earned national monument status. Part of the church was made into a museum, which is open to the public. The church was restored in 2008.