Cathedral of Our Lady

A Gothic Giant with the Soul of a Museum ​"You can see the spire from almost anywhere in Antwerp, but nothing prepares you for the interior. It’s less like a dark, dusty church and more like an airy, light-filled gallery. The Rubens altarpieces are the obvious stars here—seeing The Descent from the Cross in the very space it was intended for is a completely different experience than seeing it in a museum. ​Even if you aren’t a 'church person,' the sheer height of the nave and the intricate wood-carving of the pulpit are staggering. It’s a peaceful, awe-inspiring refuge from the busy shopping streets outside. Definitely worth the entry fee for the art alone." ​The SpIt’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and technically unfinished (the second tower was never completed). ​Mention the modern stained glass sitting alongside the 16th-century masterpieces. ​A massive, swirling oak masterpiece that looks like a forest frozen in time. ​"If you visit, try to time it for a carillon concert. Hearing the bells ring out across the Groenplaats while you stand at the base of the tower is the quintessential Antwerp moment."

The Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) is an absolute must-see in Antwerp. It’s a masterpiece of Gothic architecture that dominates the skyline, but as impressive as it is from the outside, the interior is where the magic really happens. Inside, you’ll find a breathtaking space filled with history and incredible art, including several world-famous masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens. It feels more like a serene art gallery than just a place of worship. And here’s a quirky Belgian bonus: you can actually enjoy a quiet moment with a local beer at the cathedral’s own bistro/bar! Sipping a "Kathedraalbier" in such a historic setting is a unique experience you won't find just anywhere.

Another historical and architectural wonder. Just very accessible through bus, train and tram stations. The Groenplaats area is a bustling place full of shops and businesses. The walkways and bicycle paths are very well-maintained.

Nice place to visit. A historic Gothic cathedral with a distinctive spire, famous for its collection of Baroque works by Rubens. Ticket to the church is 12 euro for adults. If you want to only see small part, you can visit shop only.

The cathedral is incredibly impressive, but the €12 entrance fee is a bit too much in my opinion. Inside are lots of beautiful stained glass windows.

This place is incredible. Such beautiful ornate details and awe inspiring architecture. I am constantly fascinated by these old world buildings and love to visit them. This is one of the biggest cathedral’s I’ve seen with many spaces to worship, walk around and see beautiful art and sculptures. Highly recommended when you visit Antwerp.

The Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium, stands as one of Europe’s greatest Gothic masterpieces and a symbol of the city’s spiritual and artistic heritage. Construction began in 1352 and spanned nearly two centuries, resulting in an awe-inspiring structure that dominates Antwerp’s skyline with its soaring 123-meter spire, the tallest church tower in the Low Countries. Inside, the cathedral is a treasure house of sacred art, most notably the world-renowned altarpieces by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, whose works infuse the space with drama, color, and devotion. The interior’s vast nave, intricate stained glass, and delicate stone carvings reflect the craftsmanship and ambition of medieval builders. Despite fires and conflicts that damaged the cathedral over the centuries, it remains a living monument of faith, culture, and resilience. Today, it continues to inspire worshippers and visitors alike as the beating heart of Antwerp’s historic center.

4rth time in Antwerp, fourth visit in the Cathedral. Just unique! The paints of Rubens and De Vries are breathtaking! The cathedral is so impressive.

We visited on 10/3/24. My husband and I love cathedrals so we always try to see them in new cities. The inside was exquisite. The details the art it was inspiring and breathtaking. It had this energy of peace and tranquility that I loved. I am very grateful we got to experience this.

Truly a stunning cathedral both inside and outside. I thought it was going to be a quick in and out having seen a lot of the amazing churches in Europe but this one is up there as well and we ended up spending a lot of time here including some time to meditate. It was not crowded so did not feel rushed which was nice.

Some may say that all cathedrals are the same in Europe, but I think that each has its own twist to attract you to it. The De Kathedraal in Antwerp is special in the sense that it does not have the normal facade that many others have. Once you step inside you immediately realize that this may be one of the few cathedrals that charges an entry fee, but it is quite low compared to many other attractions in the city ( I believe it was around six euros). Once inside, you are free to snap a few photos and glance at some great artwork, which some have suggested is from Rembrandt, but I can neither confirm or deny this. Once you spend a decent amount of time exploring the cathedral, don't think its done there, as its location is right smack dab in the middle of the Grote Markt, which is the main hub for shopping, eating, and drinking! That alone gives you a reason to hoof it down and enjoy some sightseeing followed by some shopping and local cuisine! Well worth the stop if you are into cathedral snooping like I am!

Among my generation of Japanese people, there is no one but knows " a Dog of Flanders" . The story was an 1872 novel by English author Marie Louise de la Ramee published with her pseudonym " Okida ". It was about a Flemish boy named Nello and his dog, Patrasche and was set in Antwerp. In Japan, the novel has been an extremely popular children's classic for decades and has been adapted into several Japanese films and anime. I have ever seen the animation long ago when I was child, and been deeply impressed with it. Especially, even now I can vividly remember the last scene. An orphan boy Nello has wished to go to the cathedral of Antwerp to see Rubens' The Descent of the Cross, but the exhibition held inside the building is only for paying customers and he's out of money. On the night of Christmas Eve, he and Patrasche go to Antwerp and, by chance, find the door to the church open. The next morning, the boy and his dog are found frozen to death in front of the triptych of the Descent of the Cross. The Cathedral of our lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been ' completed'. In Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos. The belfry of the cathedral was registered in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Formally called the "Cathedral of Our Lady". It is the seat of the diocese of Antwerp. If you're visiting here as part of a tour of the Benelux countries, keep in mind that this cathedral contains the famous triptychs by Rubens as opposed to the only statue of Michelangelo to make it outside Italy (located in Bruges). Standing at 123 meters (~400 feet), it is the tallest Gothic church in the Low Countries. Originally established in 1124, it was first made in the Romanesque style before converting into a Gothic church in 1521. The church has had a lot happen to it ever since with a fire ravaging the church in 1533, iconoclastic Protestants ravaging the interior as part of the Eighty Years' War, and two centuries later, French revolutionaries also plundered the church. A short time later Napoleon even confiscated the two most iconic artwork by Rubens' to Paris, only to be returned later in the 19th century. Brief respites from conflict allowed the church to be renovated into the Baroque style and the various Neo-styles soon afterwards. LOGISTICS - Cost: €8 - Hours: M-F: 10a-5p. Sat: 10a-3p. Sun: 1p-5p. - Guided tours available at various times from mid-July to end of August. - Additional info: http://www.dekathedraal.be/pdf/DEKATHFolderENG.pdf Most people come here to see the four art pieces attributed to Rubens. - The Raising of the Cross (transept, left side) - The Descent from the Cross (transept, right side) - Assumption of the Virgin (main altarpiece) - The Resurrection of Christ, which decorates the tombs of the famous Antwerpen printers Jan Moretus and Martina Plantin (who have a famous museum named after them). In particular the Raising and Descent triptychs are famous as Rubens had just arrived from Italy and was clearly inspired by the Renaissance (Michelangelo) and Baroque (Caravaggio) painters there. No wonder Napoleon wanted to steal these works. Nowadays these paintings have entered into popular culture through the work "A Dog of Flanders" - Nello and his dog Patrasche are able to view said paintings on Christmas Eve as part of a lifelong dream before passing away in front of the church the next morning. While obscure in Western media, it is a beloved story in Japan and many Japanese flock to Antwerp just to see these two paintings. To commemorate the story a statue of Nello and Patrasche are seen just outside the cathedral covered in a cobblestone blanket.

A gorgeous sight to see in the center of Antwerp! In fitting with the grandeur and power that Antwerp has embodied over the centuries, the cathedral is an imposing structural that commands a place in the very center of the city. Once inside, you are blown away by the sheer size of the interior and, especially, the vaulted ceilings. The organ and stained glass were my particular favorite decorations to the structure and they certainly add to the overall feeling of awe. The highlight of the visit was the chance to see a restoration of a fresco in progress! Such a treat!

What a beautiful cathedral and so unique I've bin baptiste in this cathedral history and love is givin together with the Gene's in our family

Maybe I'm jaded, but this just seemed like a standard church. If you like stained glass art or seeing tons of triptyches, or a very lame tomb, then stop on it. Entry is €6. No flash photography or there's a €60 fine. You literally exit through the gift shop. Very commercialized.

This cathedral is so beautiful, outside and in. Antwerp truly is a wonderful and gorgeous place. Streets were not too busy during my visit in early March and were perfect for just walking around the city.

I dunno, I guess it's okay, built in 1325 so it's really not that new. 170 years to build? Looks more like it took 165. I will say that it smellls great in here, kind of s smoky funky aroma and the paintings created several hundred years ago are impressive, especially the cool colors. It's also cool that you only have to pay 4 euro to walk around in that behemoth. I was impressed, the apse is much larger than in my previous apartment. I would actually give this all of the stars and not hold one back for another cathedral that is 30 feet taller.

A really beautiful church, jam-packed with Rembrandts. One of the rare times in Europe you'll need to pay to enter a Catholic church. Cost is about 6 euros.

This place is certainly impressive, though not as impressive as the one in Cologne (which is believe is much bigger), however, the outside is a lot cleaner, and you also have to pay to go inside (something you don't need to do at Colonge, though payment generally doesn't apply to those attending mass, however is suspect that they may not be too happy if you wander around the place taking photos while the service is in progress). Mind you, the ticket (or at least the one we got) does allow access to the Mayer Van Den Berg museum as well, so you are actually paying for two entrance tickets than simply one. However, the Cathedral is certainly a visit, even if you simply just want to stare at the outside (you don't have to pay for that). Oh, and it is also the largest Cathedral in the Low Countries and if you know your Rubens you will also find a couple of his paintings inside.

One of the most beautiful churches in Europe. Each year thousands of visitors come here to express their faith or fascination for one of the largest and oldest Cathedrals in Belgium. I jumped on the train from Amsterdam to Belgium and came here for mass in Easter. This church is much more then a house of prayer. The Cathedral is a must visit in Antwerp! I was completely fascinated with the art and architecture. I have visited an outstanding amount of churches in Europe, but this one made a significant impression on me.

Fanciest church around. De Kathedraal or The Cathedral of Our Lady is hard to miss if you visit Antwerp. Just by walking from central station we ended up quickly in the town square beneath De Kathedraal. We wandered inside and scoped the gift shop, but sadly opted out of going into the main part of the church. Missed opportunities, but that's alright. This church has one of the nicest gift shops for a church. Haha. It was a bit surprising since it was on par with a museum gift shops. Lots of historical books on Antwerp in a large selection of languages-- European to Asian, rosaries, small figurines that appear hand-carved and lots of Antwerp/religion/history related postcards. The outside alone is quite beautiful and although complete, isn't what was officially proposed at the time of its conception. Lots to read up on for this very historical church. It's also the centerpiece to Antwerp's grote markt if you don't include the Brabo fountain. The square makes a great stop just for coffee and people watching. If you have a love for gothic architecture then it's something you wouldn't want to miss.

The Cathedral of Our lady is the largest Gothic church in the low countries and 123 meters high. So magnificent and tall, it is located in the heart of Antwerp right next to the town square. You surely won't be able to miss it; one can basically see it from everywhere as it is just that tall. The church has a long history--we're talking five centuries. We were able to get in with our Antwerpen City card and there was not a line up or wait. If you don't have a city card, is is 5 euros/adult. You don't realize the grandness of this church until you are standing beside the massive pannels of artwork, that include works from Rubens and other Flemish painters. Indeed, the artwork is amazing. As an organ player myself, I couldn't help but notice the two big pipe organs. The highlight of this church is the ceiling of the tallest tower as it was painted to emulate heaven. You can easily spend two hours in here. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Antwerp.

Beautiful church in the center of Antwerp. Was definitely worth the visit. They had some beautiful artwork displayed and explanations in English, French & Dutch. Like most churches in Europe, it holds a significant amount of the local history. Compared to other cities I would not say it was amazing but definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

This is Antwerp's biggest church, found in the old town. The church has the tallest steeple in the Low Countries. Check out the 4 paintings by Rubens inside. Really a beautiful site a must-see.

It's a cathedral with a bonus art museum. While not the most impressive in the world, it's certainly worth a visit for both the art and the architecture. Entry is only 5€, so you can feel good about supporting 400 years of history that not even fire nor the French could obliterate. To me, the most interesting part is the fact that they've always been displaying works of art in this cathedral, even back in the early 17th century. In fact, the displays looked a bit more impressive then than they do today. Hence the admission fee! Also, some Reuben sandwich guy painted some things here. Cool if you like sauerkraut with your gothic history. (I kid, of course. Who actually *likes* sauerkraut?)

this is one of the "musts" when you're in Belgium, as you can read in the other reviews. But, if possible, try to join a guide (preferrably an alternative one like Key Minnebo) and get to hear fascinating stories. The cathedral hasn't always looked like it looks today, the way people worshipped God has evoluated in more ways then we now realize.

The northern tower is exactly 123 meters high. So it's easy for people to remember the hight of the cathedral. :)

We came to the Antwerp town square after about 4 hours of sleep and still loved the cathedral. It's awesome in the true sense of the word, and because of its age has a mixture of art and decoration ranging from the Middle Ages into the early Modern period. We didn't have a tour, but the brochure helped.