Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp
View of Antwerp Cathedral from Groenplaats. Photo by Mel & John Kots.
Facade and portals. Photo by elbisreverri.
Nave, looking east to the high altar. Photo by Anthony J. Hicks.
Nave, looking west to the entrance. Photo by Anthony J. Hicks.
Spectacular vaulting at the transept crossing. Public domain.
Rubens' Descent from the Cross triptych. Photo by trekguy.
Stained-glass windows. Photo by Anthony J. Hicks.
The towering Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) in Antwerp is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The largest church in the Low Countries, Antwerp Cathedral also houses four magnificent Rubens altarpieces.
History
Begun in 1352 and completed by around 1520, the Cathedral of Our Lady stands on the site of a 10th-century chapel dedicated to the Virgin and a subsequent Romanesque church.
The history of Antwerp's cathedral is turbulent to say the least. It includes:
- a destructive fire in 1533,
- devastation by iconoclasts during the religious wars of the 16th century,
- desecration by anticlerical French revolutionaries in 1794 (resulting in the removal of its Rubens paintings), and finally
- a slow rebirth that began after Napoléon's defeat in 1815.
The Gothic cathedral of Antwerp has seven aisles and 125 pillars, but of the original design's five towers, only one was completed. But that one tower is the tallest church spire in the Low Countries, 123m (403 ft.) high, and the idea that the designers could have planned to construct five such behemoths is a graphic indication of the wealth and power of Antwerp at that time.
Antwerp Cathedral's interior is a mix of Baroque and Neoclasssical styles. The cathedral houses four Rubens masterpieces, all of them altarpieces: The Raising of the Cross (1609-10), The Descent From the Cross (1611-14), The Resurrection (1612), and the Assumption of the Virgin (1626).
Nicolas Rombouts's Last Supper (1503), an impressive stained-glass window, is also outstanding. Among many other notable works of art is a superb Madonna and Child (ca. 1350) in Carrrara marble, by the anonymous Master of the Maasland Marble Madonnas.
| Names: | Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal; Cathedral of Our Lady; Antwerp Cathedral; Da Kathedraal |
| Type of site: | Cathedral |
| Faith: | Roman Catholic |
| Dates: | 1352-1520 |
| Status: | Active |
| Location: | Handschoenmarkt (off the Grote Markt) |
| Phone: | 03/213-99-40 |
| Metro: | Groenplaats |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 10am-3pm; Sun and holidays 1-4pm; the day preceding a religious holiday 10am-3pm; closed to tourist visits during services |
| Cost: | Admission 2€, children under 13 free |
| When to go: | During July and August, the cathedral bells peal out in a carillon concert on Sundays from 3 to 4pm and on Mondays from 8 to 9pm. |
Map
Location map and satellite view of Antwerp Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Antwerp Map or get our Google Earth download.
Sources
- Frommer's Brussels and Bruges with Ghent and Antwerp, 2nd ed.
- Cathedral of Our Lady - City of Antwerp
