Notre Dame de la Chapelle, Brussels
Notre Dame de la Chapelle from the east. Photo: Sergio Calleja.
Exterior views. Photos by Clare and Ben.
Columns of the nave and the right aisle. Photo by Lance Osborne.
Nave view and Brueghel memorial. Photos by Clare and Ben.
Aerial view of the Notre Dame de la Chapelle.
Notre Dame de la Chapelle (Our Lady of the Chapel) is a large Romanesque-Gothic church in Brussels.
Construction began on the church in 1210 and was completed by the end of the 13th century. It thus marks the period of transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles; the transept and choir are Romanesque-Gothic, while most of the remainder is in the Flamboyant Gothic style.
Several campaigns of restoration were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries.
A lovely work of architecture in itself, Notre Dame de la Chapelle is perhaps most notable as the burial place of Francois Anneessens (1660-1719), a Brussels hero who lost his head for campaigning for civil rights.
Anneessens was a champion of the freedom of the Belgian communes against the centralist rule of Belgium's Austrian masters. Condemned to death, he refused to plead for forgiveness, saying, "Never! I die innocent. May my death expiate my sins and be of service to my country." He was then beheaded in the Grand-Place.
A statue of Anneessens stands in the square named after him (place Anneessens) in the city center, and you'll find a commemorative plaque dedicated to him in Notre-Dame's Chapel of the Holy Sacrament.
Notre-Dame de la Chapelle is also the burial site of Pieter Brueghel the Elder and his wife; their epitaph is also in one of the chapels.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Notre Dame de la Chapelle; Our Lady of the Chapel; Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Kupellekerk |
| Type of site: | Parish church |
| Dates: | Begun 1210 |
| Location: | Place de la Chapelle, Brussels, Belgium |
| Tram: | 92, 93, or 94 |
| Phone: | 02/512-07-37 |
| Cost: | Free |
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of Notre Dame de la Chapelle. 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 Brussels Map or get our Google Earth download.
More Information
- Notre Dame de la Chapelle – TripAdvisor
- Brussels – Catholic Encyclopedia (1908)
