St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral

A Majestic Gem in the Heart of Brussels Visiting St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral was a truly awe-inspiring experience. The grandeur of its Gothic architecture, soaring spires, and stunning stained-glass windows immediately transport you back in time. Every corner of the cathedral speaks of history, faith, and artistry. The atmosphere inside is serene and reverent, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle of the city. Don’t miss the beautiful Baroque pulpit and the intricate carvings that line the interior. The light streaming through the stained glass creates a magical effect, especially in the afternoon. Whether you’re a history lover, an architecture enthusiast, or simply seeking a quiet moment of reflection, this cathedral is an absolute must-visit. A spiritual and cultural highlight of Brussels!

St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral is a majestic Gothic church that began construction in the 13th century and was completed in the 16th century. Dedicated to Brussels’ patron saints, Michael and Gudula, the cathedral is rich with history and artistry. Inside, visitors can admire beautiful 16th-century stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes, a Baroque pulpit dating back to 1699, and original 17th-century oak confessionals. The grand organ, with over 4,000 pipes, offers impressive acoustics during services and concerts. Visiting Information: • Admission: Free (Crypt visit costs €1, Tower climb €2) • Opening Hours: Monday–Saturday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Sunday and holidays 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Location: Place Sainte-Gudule, 1000 Brussels Highlights: • Climb the towers for panoramic views of Brussels • Explore the crypt containing remnants of an 11th-century Romanesque church • Enjoy the serene and spacious interior perfect for reflection and photography (allowed outside of services) The cathedral is just a 10-minute walk from the Grand Place, making it an easy and worthwhile stop while exploring central Brussels. Ideal for history buffs, architecture lovers, and anyone seeking a peaceful spiritual experience.

Absolutely breathtaking! Visiting this iconic church in Brussels was one of the highlights of my trip. Architecture & Interior: The architecture is nothing short of stunning. From the moment you approach the building, the grand Gothic façade takes your breath away. The intricate stonework, soaring twin towers, and beautiful stained glass windows create an awe-inspiring first impression. Once inside, the experience gets even more impressive. The high vaulted ceilings, elegant columns, and detailed sculptures throughout the interior showcase incredible craftsmanship and artistry. Atmosphere: There’s a peaceful, reverent atmosphere that makes you pause and admire the spiritual and historical significance of the place. The light filtering through the stained glass windows adds a magical quality to the interior, especially on a sunny day. Free Entrance: One of the best things is that entry is completely free, which is amazing considering the cultural and architectural value of this landmark. Donations are welcome, of course.

A breathtaking blend of Gothic architecture and serene atmosphere right in the heart of Brussels. The cathedral's soaring ceilings, intricate stained glass windows, and peaceful ambiance offer a moment of reflection amid the city's bustle. Whether you're into history, architecture, or simply want a quiet escape, this place delivers. Climb up to the towers for a lovely city view if available, and don’t miss the beautifully preserved crypt beneath the cathedral. An iconic site well worth a visit

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral – Brussels, Belgium Absolutely stunning. This cathedral is not only architecturally impressive with its grand Gothic design and intricate stained glass, but it also carries a deep sense of peace and reverence. The moment you step inside, the serenity is almost tangible — a quiet refuge from the bustle of the city. It’s beautifully maintained and steeped in history, yet feels timeless. Whether you’re here for spiritual reflection, admiration of sacred art, or just a quiet break, it’s a place that leaves an impression. Don’t miss the crypt and the soft glow of light filtering through the windows — it’s simply beautiful. A must-visit if you’re in Brussels.

I visited St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral during my trip to Brussels, and it was honestly one of the highlights. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking—those twin towers and the detailed stonework are stunning up close. Inside, it’s peaceful and filled with beautiful stained-glass windows that cast colorful light across the space, especially when the sun shines through. It’s easy to find, just a short walk from Brussels Central Station, and there’s no entrance fee, which makes it a perfect stop while exploring the city. I loved how quiet and reflective it felt inside, a real contrast to the busy streets outside. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Brussels.

This is marvelous cathedral…peaceful & tranquility atmosphere. Not far from Grand-Place, I walked from Grand-Place . There is nice park in front of this church . The stained-glass windows are so beautiful. High ceilings gothic architecture. A lot of legendary story. Thank you for the free entrance. Good for each to donate or to create a souvenir featuring the cathedral’s image from the coin machine in front . This is an important place to visit

Absolutely worth a visit if you’re in Brussels! The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is stunning … peaceful inside and full of history. The stained glass windows are incredible (some date back to the 1500s!), and the Gothic architecture is just beautiful. It’s right in the city center, so easy to get to perfect for a quiet break while exploring. Don’t miss it!

What a marvelous building, the attention to small details is amazing. Walking distance from the grand place in the center heart of Brussels. 13th century construction that extended to 16th century to complete and once you see it in person you immediately understand why. Very rich in history it's free to visit and couple of euros to visit the crypt and tower.

I'm not entirely sure how to review a church here, but I'm going to give it a shot. The Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule de Bruxelles is massive, medieval Catholic Church that was finished being built in 1519, a time period my brain can't even wrap a thought around. My wife is fascinated by old churches so this was a must for us to walk through. The architecture here was absolutely breath taking from the art work to the small intricate details used every step of the way. You are able to walk through most of the building here, take part in religious things (as you can probably tell, I am not religious) and just enjoy the building for what it is. Overall, as someone fascinated with history I was very much able to enjoy the Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule de Bruxelles. Anytime I can walk through a building with so much history it truly is a special occasions. This church also has a decent size gift shop if you would like to take home some sort of souvenir.

Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula is one of the most beautiful cathedral I have seen. It's so beautiful and peaceful and has incredible architecture design. Free to enter. It also has a small museum inside that you have to pay 2€ to enter to it. They also have a gift shop.

The St. Michael church is absolutely beautiful and a visit to Brussels would not be complete without stopping here. Allow yourself some time, as it is a big church and you will want to enjoy as much detail as you can. It's free to enter, so enjoy. The interior and exterior are equally as beautiful.

The Brussels Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is a truly magnificent structure. The main part of this Catholic church dates to the 11th century while the towers were constructed in the 13th century. Once described by Victor Hugo as "the purest flowering of the Gothic style," this white, two-towered giant holds many medieval treasures inside, including splendid stained-glass windows donated by Charles V. It took about 300 years to build this impressive stone church. Named after the country's patron saints, it is Belgium's main church. You will be definitely awed by the beautiful stained glass windows, especially the ones by Bernard van Orley, a 16th-century painter. It is less than one mile northeast of the Brussels train station. It is a maze of narrow streets which run back from the cliffside - they're supposedly pedestrianized but don't be surprised if you see someone trying to squeeze a car down there. These medieval alleyways twist and turn past trattorias, bars, and shops. Forget the map and keep walking and you never know what you might discover - a hidden church, a flower-filled garden, a fantastic gelateria.

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is a beautiful cathedral in Brussels. From my pictures you can see the similarities of the facade/towers to Notre-Dame. This cathedral however has many more stairs to the entrance. The outside is near a park and a few benches are set up and you can enjoy the view from afar as well. After we visited inside, my parents sat on the outside benches to see the details. It's a very impressive architectural religious building. Interior- The chapel is extraordinary. There are statues of the twelve apostles that you see on the columns. A huge organ is within the cathedral that was built in the recent years. They have a choir that has mausoleums. They have kept up with the maintenance of this place. Royal weddings in the past have been held here for the ceremony part. Many tourists and locals visit this cathedral. If you are low on time in Brussels, this is one the places I would recommend. Side Note- Free to visit, but there is a donation area set up if you want to contribute while you visit.~

The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is one you must see if visiting Brussels as it is gem in the middle of the city. I tend to always visit multiple religious architectures while traveling to really get a sense of the magnificent structures and what it took to construct them. This particular cathedral is nothing short of jaw dropping and deserves a spot up there with many of the other great cathedrals in Europe. I'd suggest visiting this site during a non mass, so you can really get a sense of the inside and spend time taking it all in whether with photos or not. Another tip is to check the small park out across the street to take a seat and really take it all in. While not a long review, I believe all the photos speak volumes compared to many of the reviews!

This is a Beautiful Cathedral inside and out. There's a lot of great detailing on the outside structure of the building. The spire detailing would be lovely to see up close. This is a church I could go to every week and be in pure awe every Sunday looking up. Could be why the churches I tend to go to aren't as intricately designed as this one, would be too distracting during a homily.

Why 5 stars? Because it definitely had the most unique character of all the European churches we visited. --- --- --- I didn't really realize this before visiting Europe for the first time, but we spent a decent amount of time walking through historical churches in middle of each city we were in. This one was much different than all the others for a few different reasons. First of all, there was a giant organ in the center of the church, and about two minutes after we walked inside, someone started playing it. It was really mesmerizing to just sit and listen to this insanely powerful instrument produce such enchanting music. I call it an "instrument" loosely, as it's the size of a person's apartment, which doesn't even include all the extra piping. How in the hell did someone even figure out how to invent an organ, anyway? Aside from that, in the back of the church, there was an area with a bunch of rugs hanging, and at one point, someone turned off the light and flipped on a black light to reveal that these rugs glowed in the dark. I didn't really understand why the rugs were hanging in the first place, and was even more confused about the whole black light thing. And before the black light came on, they almost reminded me of giant quilts you'd see inside a school in the form of some kind of art display. I definitely think this church is worth seeing if you're in Brussels. We only had one day here and it was one of the more memorable experiences. You can only eat so much chocolate and waffles before you need a break!

A part of me wants to say that this is the church, but in reality it is much much more than just a simple church. In fact I believe it is the Cathedral of Brussels, though I have noted that in the Francophone world they refer to these major churches as the Notre Dame (thogh the Notre Damme is actually down near the museums). While it isn't as big as some of the Cathedrals on the continent, it still is impressive in its own right, not just with all the lovely carvings and statues on the walls, but it doesn't hold the immense wonder of some of the other cathedrals. It isn't the easiest to get to either, though being next to the Botanic Gardens, and also a short walk from Brussels Centraal, does help somewhat. Still, it's a nice church, and free to enter as well, so the place is worth visiting.

Cathedrals in all of Europe are breath taking, however this particular one stood out for us over all other beautiful churches we had a chance to see on our trip (even the Notre Dame in Paris). Original construction dates back to the 10th century...that is 3 digit years folks, that alone will leave you speechless. How many important historical events have these walls witnessed over the course of over a thousand years? I wish these walls could talk. From it's Gothic main facade to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, to all of the stunning and intricate stained glass, every little stone in this place is full of history. I am not religious, but my bf was raised catholic, regardless of your beliefs or lack there of, you can't help but appreciate the sacredness of this structure. The cathedral was practically empty during our visit, and all we could do is glance at one another occasionally and mouth a quiet WOW. Artists from Belgium and all over the world get an opportunity to display their work at this site. Three organs were added in the 20th century, which appropriately compliment the spiritual ambiance of the church.

This was my second favourite church visited while in Brussels. This church like Sablon also had many wonderful stained glass windows. These were different in style from Sablon, but just as beautiful. The outside entrance to this church is impressive, and I can see how it would be a wonderful setting for the many royal marriages that have taken place here. This church was founded in 1047, and holds the relics of martyr Saint Godula. The patron saints of the church are also the patron saints of Brussels, St. Michael and St. Godula. In the 13th century the cathedral was renovated in the Gothic style. For those who love archaeological ruins, for 1 euro you can explore the original floor of the church, as when the church was reconstructed they rebuilt over the previous floor. You can only view a portion of it. I love ruins, but this one even for a euro was not impressive, unless you are a major history buff, don't bother. There is a lovely large wooden carved pulpit. Yes, most old churches have a carved wooden pulpit in the middle, but this one has very intricate carvings and is impressive in size. There are also beautiful sculptures to appreciate in the central columns.

It's interesting that the main church in Brussels isn't know as "Cathedral of Brussels" but instead the Cathedral of Saint Michael & Gudule! I went here as part of an afternoon I called #Tourist in my city. I have now lived in Brussels close to 3 years, but there remain parts of my adopted hometown that I am unaware of so this was an attempt to see my city via the eyes of a visiting tourist -... But I Digress. So this is a beautiful two spire church with a fantastic green space - the park set just outside the entrance has tons of benches, so I actually sat and admired the church facade for a bit before going in. The day I visited, there was a children's service going on, so didn't get to explore stuff near the pulpit, but what I did see was quite beautiful. One really cool thing is the architectural excavations and remains of the former Roman Church walks which can be viewed for €1. There were a lot of unusual artwork and statutes too. Barcelona's Sagrada Familia is still my #1, but this is worth a look.

Beautiful cathedral in central Brussels. It had a very picturesque exterior with a little park in front, which seemed to be a popular lunch spot. Inside felt pretty standard for European cathedrals, though the sun was hitting the stained glass windows perfectly for showing their array of color.

This is the church which got great architecture and probably the biggest church close to the centre of the city. As it located rarely in tourist area, so no question it became one of the most popular sightseeing locations. From the central station come to this place on foot only took about 10 mins. Most of the people come here just to admiring the beautiful architecture, even it is very historical but yet still looks very new. The entrance is for free, inside the church look even better and greater, the window art inside was just outstanding, It caught my eyes at once during my visit, I also was some kind of art and craft competition, which reference the stories from bible. Even I am not religious, I like the art of religious generally, some of them were still interesting and fascinating. I think from time to time this church has different events, to keep it more interesting. The architecture inside was also the other part that I found of. There were still serval little thing caught my attention, like the silence room and some instruments. The was only part that need to pay was the basement, it didn't cost much. 1-2 euro. I haven't really check that out yet. At the end, I think most of the people when they are traveling they will like to visit one or two local churches or temples to understand the culture there better, if so, this should be the place for you in Brussels. For me, I have been visited many churches during my traveling, and yet I still could find the special charm of this itself. Just go and check it out yourself!

severely underrated. looks simliar to notre dame and westminster abbey, but doesn't get the same credit. enjoyed it very much

Absolutely stunning architecture. Ghent is amazing and I'll definitely be returning here. I'll finish review later, need to save my phone battery for pics and check ins

Beautiful cathedral and lovingly restored. Love the architecture and stained glass windows :-)

Beautiful cathedral located a short walk from Grand Place. The architecture is purely amazing on both the inside and out. It's truly the most stunning in the city. Entrance is free to the cathedral itself but they also have other attractions inside. There's an archaeological site and a treasury that cost only €1 each. There's also a Romanesque crypt which cost €3. If you want to skip them and just enjoy the grand cathedral, that'll do just fine. I absolutely loved seeing this monument and highly recommend it if you're visiting Brussels.

This church is simply amazing. Not only it is so big but it has great sculptures from gold and wood, great paintings, and kind of a dungeon. It is located on top of the Treurenberg hill, thus it is perfectly located and from the front door you can see the entire city (the view is really great). If you are with a tour group you would 100% go there and they will tell you the whole history of the place, however, if you inn Brussels on your own get a paper guide and visit it. There is no entrance fee and you are gonna be amazed by this beautiful place.

What a beautiful piece of architecture! Not to be missed when visiting Brussels for the first time. Also the area is full of cafes, restaurants and other places to hangout after you are done taking tons of pictures.