Church of Our Lady

On Mariastraat in Bruges, the Church of Our Lady is a Gothic landmark with a brick spire rising about 115 metres above the city. Its medieval interior holds religious art, painted tombs and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. The main church area is free to enter; a separate ticket is needed for the museum section, where Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child is the principal draw. Come for the architecture, then take time to look closely at the artworks and memorials.

A Gothic landmark on Mariastraat

The Church of Our Lady rises above Bruges with a brick spire about 115.5 metres tall. It is the city’s tallest structure and a familiar point on the skyline. Work on the present church began in the 13th century, with construction and additions continuing over the following centuries.

The long building history is visible in its architecture. Gothic forms shape the church, while later changes brought different styles into parts of the building. Inside, the broad nave, chapels, altars and carved details reward a slower look. Stained glass adds colour, and the scale of the interior offers a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s presence outside.

Art, tombs and painted sepulchres

The museum section contains the church’s best-known artwork, Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child. The sculpture is among the few works by the artist to have left Italy during his lifetime. It is displayed in a separate area, so visitors who enter only the main church will not see it.

Other works give the collection a wider scope than the famous sculpture alone. Look for paintings, altarpieces and intricate wood carvings, along with the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. Painted medieval sepulchres and decoration on tombs add details that can be easy to miss if you focus only on the major pieces. Take time to examine the surfaces and painted scenes.