Church of Our Lady of Laeken
The Church of Our Lady in Laeken ( Onze Lieve - Vrouw - van Laeken Notre-Dame de Laeken ) is a neo-gothic church in the district of Brussels Laeken and the largest Gothic building in Belgium.
History
Already around the year 800 were two sisters in memory of her late brother at the site of the present church build a small chapel, which was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Guy of Anderlecht worked in this chapel some years as clerk. Sophie of Brabant, the daughter of Elisabeth of Thuringia, the band gave a picture of Mary, which soon became a magnet for many pilgrims.
1275 the chapel was replaced by a church in the style of early - Brabant Gothic. According to the legend of their own choosing Maria direction and size of the new building.
Louise of Orléans, the first Queen of Belgium, specified in her will to be buried in the Church of Our Lady in Laeken. When she died in 1850, decided her husband, King Leopold I, to be constructed at this point a new church, the crypt in the future, the burial place of the royal family should be. The architect Joseph Poelaert who built the same time as the Palace of Justice in Brussels, made at an award-winning design in the Gothic Revival style. 1854 Leopold I laid the foundation stone for the new building and on 7 August 1872, the church was consecrated, although it was not fully completed at this time.
Leopold II had finally complete the church. The German architect Friedrich von Schmidt designed the portal and the 99 m high tower.
Importance
The Church of Our Lady in Laeken was indeed never elevated to the rank of a particular monument, but for visitors it has a high symbolic value, because there are the final resting places of many members of the Belgian royal family and the Cardinal and founder of the International Young Christian Workers Joseph Cardijn here.
Attractions
The imposing pulpit received the first prize during the Paris World Exposition in 1878. In the right aisle, the painting " The Holy Family " by Gaspar de Crayer depends from the 17th century. The romantic organ was built in 1872-1874 by the Brussels organ builder Pierre Schyven. The high altar is decorated with a silver crucifix from the 18th century. In the sanctuary itself windows are from the 19th century, which represent sections from the life of Jesus and Mary, and in the chancel are four other paintings by de Crayer to visit: " The cross -bearing Christ ", " Onze - Lieve - Vrouw van Laeken " "The Holy Guido as agricultural laborers " and " the Flight into Egypt." the choir organ comes from the brothers Adrian and Pierre -Salomon van Bever and was built in 1907.
In the right aisle opposite the side altar, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is the grave Joseph Cardijn.
Royal Crypt
Behind the choir is access to the Royal Crypt. In the middle of the room is the impressive grave of Leopold I, the first Belgian king, with his second wife. To this grave system around it are niches containing the tombs of all the Belgian royal couple. Are the graves of other members of the Belgian royal family on the wall.
The following persons are buried in the crypt of the church of Laeken:
See also: tombs of European monarchs
In the cemetery behind the church are the graves of many famous Belgians. Even the chorus of the first church was built here in 1275 is to visit there yet.
Organ
The organ dates back to an instrument from 1874, from which the organ case is still present. The organ was built by the organ builders Goyers, Salomon Van Bever and Pierre Schyven. The instrument has 52 registers on three manuals and pedal. The Spieltrakturen are mechanical, the Registertrakturen are electric.