Churches, Aachen

The Cathedral is still the second highest building in Cologne after the telecommunications tower. Its footprint is no less impressive, with the full length of the Cathedral measuring 145 m and the cross nave 86 m. http://www.cologne.de/what-to-do/the-cologne-cathedral.html#hash-2-0

The town hall is Leuven's pride and joy. Moreover, it's one of the best-known Gothic town halls worldwide. It took three architects and thirty years to build it. Leuven's 'Hall of Fame' features 236 statues, which were only added to the façade after 1850. These days the town hall merely has a ceremonial function after the city's administrative services moved in 2009. The tourist information center is situated on the side of the town hall. Also daily guided tours are available. The guide will tell you about the construction history of this Gothic gem. You will discover the story behind the 236 sculptures on the façade. Afterwards, you can visit the foyer, the reception rooms, the large and small Gothic Hall, the wedding hall and the council hall. Every third Saturday of the month you can visit the cellars under the town hall. These cellars have housed the ‘Jaartallen’ collection since the very first edition in 1890. The entrance is located at Grote Markt square next to the town hall’s flight of step. http://www.visitleuven.be/en/town-hall

Saint Peter’s stands in the very centre of Leuven. It was built as a Romanesque church in 986, and it is therefore the oldest church in the city. In 1176, the building was ravaged by fire (probably for the first time), and two centuries later, part of the church again burned to the ground. In the 15th century, the Romanesque building was gradually taken down to make way for the Gothic church you see today. This process took more than a century. Over the last century, Saint Peter’s Church has undergone several extensive renovations, returning it to its full glory. That is why Saint Peter’s Church is now generally recognized as one of the finest examples of 15th-century Brabantine High Gothic architecture, and it is an unmissable tourist attraction in the city of Leuven. https://www.mleuven.be/en/saint-peter%E2%80%99s-church

St Rumbold's Cathedral was built in the thirteenth century. From the outset it was larger and more impressive than all the other parish churches and later on it became 'the church of the archbishops'. Originally there was a triple-nave cruciform church on the site of the vast cathedral. Only after a series of building campaigns did the church become a city's star attraction. The inside of the cathedral is breathtaking. You can admire Anthony van Dyck's painting 'Christ on the Cross', along with works by (among others) Michel Coxcie, Gaspard de Crayer and Abraham Janssens. The real showpiece, however, has to be the high altar by Lucas Faydherbe which dates from 1665. https://toerisme.mechelen.be/en/st-rumbolds-cathedral

Going back into the early Middle Ages, a wall defined an area surrounding the Cathedral, the close, whose center today comprises, along with the Cathedral, the recently redesigned Cathedral Square with the grandiose view onto the Romanesque west façade of the Cathedral and the Early Gothic Church of Our Lady. http://www.trier-info.de/english/cathedral-square-info

The Palace Church (Schlosskirche) is the landmark of the town, with its two 55 m. high domed towers of Rorschach sandstone, visible from far out on the lake. http://en.friedrichshafen.info/discover/sightseeing/palace-church/

St James‘ Church is the starting point for pilgrims journeying to the burial place of St James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela. The church is also known for the resting place of Rubens. This church, which is within short walking distance from Antwerp’s main shopping street Meir, is one of the largest churches in Antwerp. Like so many other European cities Antwerp also has a sanctuary for St. James. In the early fifteenth century there was a hospice here, which welcomed Northern European pilgrims travelling to the tomb of the apostle James in Santiago de Compostela. In 1413 a chapel, dedicated to St. James, was added to the hospice. Soon the chapel proved too small. As a consequence construction started on the current church in Brabant Gothic style in 1491. It would take no less than 175 years to complete the church. St. James’s Church served as parish church for several smaller crafts and guilds and religious brotherhoods. The choir was completed during the Baroque period with the tombs and chapels of wealthy families. The most famous memorial chapel is that of the Antwerp Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. He painted the altarpiece Madonna Surrounded by Saints in the chapel. Elsewhere in the church you can admire a masterpiece by Jacob Jordaens. St. James’s Church has one of the oldest working tower clocks. https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/churches/saint-jamess-church

The cathedral "Notre-Dame" of Luxembourg was built between 1613 and 1621 by the Jesuits to serve as a church to their college (now the National Library). The north gate is characteristic of the semi-Renaissance, semi-Baroque style of the period. Since 1794, it has housed the statue of the Consoler of the Afflicted. A cathedral church in 1870, it was enlarged from 1935 to 1938. The choir screen in richly sculpted alabaster, columns decorated with arabesques, stained glass from the 19th and 20th centuries, neo-Gothic confessionals, modern sculptures in bas relief, bronze gates by Auguste Trémont, are all worthy of this splendid sanctuary. The crypt is the resting place of John the Blind, King of Bohemia and Count of Luxembourg, as well as deceased members of the Grand Ducal family; the two lions flanking the entrance are also the work of Auguste Trémont. https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/misc/cathedrale-notre-dame

The Cathedral is an iconic treasury, with an impressive collection of major art works, including a series of paintings by Rubens. Now, after twenty years, the seven-naved church has been restored to its former architectural glory. Fascinating features include Rubens’ ‘Elevation of the Cross’ and his ‘Descent from the Cross’. After 169 years of construction the cathedral of Antwerp finally dominated Antwerp's skyline in 1521 with a height of 123 metres. It's the highest Gothic building in the Low Countries. Any visit to Antwerp starts with a visit of the Cathedral of Our Lady! https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/cathedral-of-our-lady

The Big Chruch or The Eusebius in Arnhem has dominated the skyline of the city of Arnhem for more than five centuries now and tells the history of the capital of the province of Gelderland from the Middle Ages until the Second World War and the post-war reconstruction. http://www.arnhemnijmegenregion.com/arnhem/culture-and-heritage/church/grote-of-eusebiuskerk

The construction of the present collegiate church began in 1450 with the chancel, which was finished around 1506. The transept was completed in 1527, and work on the nave lasted until 1621. Laid out in the form of a Latin cross with 29 chapels around the main nave, transept and chancel, this building is recognised as a leading part of Wallonia’s heritage. It was the private and personal church of the Saint Waltrude canonesses, who had dreamt of crowning the west face of their collegiate church with a 623 ft high tower. This tower, of which the first stones were laid around 1549, was never finished, and work on it was finally abandoned between 1686 and 1687. Do not miss the Treasury: one of the most beautiful collections of religious jewellery in Belgium. You can see the reliquary of St. Waltrude: one of them (la châsse) contains the body of St. Waltrude and the other (le chef) contains her head; The oldest stained-glass windows: especially the five windows of the apse, done by a master glassblower from Mons and given to the church by the Emperor Maximilian of Austria in 1510-1511; The sculptures: especially the statues in white stone of St Michael thrusting down Satan (15th century) and of St. Waltrude (16th century) and The Golden Coach: wooden vehicle painted and gilded in Louis XVI style (1780/1781), used each year for the annual Procession of the Trinity (Doudou). https://www.visitmons.co.uk/see-do/attractions/st-waltrude-s-collegiate-church-537128

The Broederenkerk has a long and rich history from around 1300, when a monastery was established here, where a church was built from around 1335. The Broederen Church, also known as the St. Lebuïnus Church, is a church in Deventer, built between 1335 and 1338 by order of Eleonora of England, then Duchess of Gelre. Before the church was built, a monastery was founded at that place around 1300 by the Franciscan Friars Minor. The name of the church is derived from these brothers. Anyone who takes a look at the Broederenkerk will notice how special this building is in the center of Deventer, both outside and inside. http://www.deventer.info/nl/zien-en-doen/zien/participant_id,4551/category_id,39/broederenkerk

This magnificent sight on Sint-Baafsplein in Ghent is a proud old lady: don’t just walk past her on your city trip. St Bavo’s Cathedral is the oldest parish church in the lively heart of Ghent. It stands on the site of a 10th century church and a 12th century Romanesque church. The latter was dedicated to St John the Baptist. In the Middle Ages, Ghent was a rich and powerful city that had the means to commission ever-larger and more opulent churches. So the Church of St John the Baptist was converted during the 15th and 16th centuries into the imposing Gothic St Bavo’s Cathedral. St Bavo’s Cathedral has a rich history and it is also filled with art treasures that make many an art-lover’s mouth water: from the baroque high altar in white, black and red flamed marble, the Rococo pulpit in oak, gilded wood and marble, to a masterpiece by Rubens: Saint Bavo enters the Convent at Ghent, and the Calvary Triptych by Justus van Gent, the Gothic chandelier/sanctuary lamp, the opulent tombs of the Bishops of Ghent – and of course the world-famous Mystic Lamb. https://visit.gent.be/en/st-bavos-cathedral-0?from_category=3332&context=tourist

This church in Tournai bluestone is one of the most beautiful examples of the Scheldt Gothic style. One of its unique elements is that the tower is not above the entrance but above the crossing of the nave and transepts. It functions as a sort of natural lantern as the light shines into the transept from the tower. https://visit.gent.be/en/see-do/st-nicholas-church

The Laurenskerk, or Church of St. Lawrence, originally arose on the banks of the River Rotte and its location can truly be called the very birthplace of Rotterdam. It is an imposing church built between 1449 and 1525, and it is Rotterdam's only surviving late Gothic building. https://en.rotterdam.info/locations/laurenskerk/

Directly on the market rises the Cathedral of St. Martin. Built in 975, it has suffered many fires, demolitions and rebuilding over the centuries. In addition to the grave monuments of the archbishops, the Romanesque St. Gotthard Chapel and the late Gothic cloister are especially noteworthy. https://www.mainz-tourismus.com/entdecken-erleben/geschichte-entdecken/kirchen-sakralbauten/dom-st-martin/

It has been painstakingly renovated and is now a perfect example of 18th-century Baroque beauty. The pope even granted the church the title “Basilica Minor”. Not to be missed are the bronze portal and the entrance area, which were designed by the Saarbrücken artist Ernst Alt. The church organ is particularly striking. It consists of three individual parts, the main organ and the two choir organs. They can be played individually or together. The St. Johann Basilica organ is hence composed of 60 sounding stops and a total of 4,312 pipes. This remarkable and multifaceted instrument is exceptional in both its construction and its tone spectrum and is renowned far beyond Saarbrücken and the Saarland. https://tourismus.saarbruecken.de/en/discovering/sights/basilica_st_johann

The steeple of the late Gothic Schlosskirche (Castle Church) dating from the 15th century was given a Baroque crest by Stengel in 1743. http://www.saarbruecken.de/en/tourism/saarbruecken/sights/schlosskirche_castle_church

Built between 1220 and 1552, it is the product of the unification of two distinct churches. With its 42 metre high vaults, it is one of the highest Gothic edifices in Europe. With its 6,500 m² of stained glass windows, the nickname “God’s lantern” is well merited. http://www.tourisme-metz.com/en/sites-and-monuments/st-stephen-s-cathedral_s.html#.WieZ1rT1UWo

Construction on St Justin's Church began around 830, once Archbishop Otgar of Mainz had returned from Rome with the relics of St Justin. The church was completed around 850. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Churches/Justinuskirche

So many adjectives that describe Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai, a true jewel of medieval architecture. The only Belgian Cathedral listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this masterpiece of Western art draws the scenery of the country for miles around. A must-visit in your discovery of Tournai! 134 m long including 58 m for the only choir, 67 m wide for the transept, 83 m high for the tallest tower. The proportions of Notre Dame Cathedral are gigantic. The nave and transept built in the 12th century are Romanesque. The choir, completed in 1254, is of Gothic style. This combination of stones gives it an undeniable originality and the 5 towers that dominate the city make it a unique building of its kind. Discover an exceptional treasure room with the presence of major works: the two large reliquaries of Notre-Dame and Saint-Eleuthère, precious ivories, goldsmiths' pieces, a 14th century Arras tapestry. Since 2006, a vast restoration project is at work: stabilization of the Gothic choir, replacement of roofs, cleaning stone walls, restoration of stained glass windows ... The building site is constantly evolving and completely renovated parts appear over the days. http://www.visittournai.be/a-voir-a-faire/top-10/la-cathedrale/article/la-cathedrale-447?lang=fr

Frankfurt's main Protestant church (1678-1681), formerly a vestal cloister and hospital, 1343/1353 under the charge of the Teutonic Order. Protestant parish church since 1526. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Churches/Katharinenkirche

The Archaeological Museum, formerly the Museum of Pre- and Early History, is housed in the Carmelite Church. A modern annexe designed by Joseph-Paul Kleihues has recently been added. The Archaeological Museum devotes itself to the investigation, documentation and presentation of archaeological findings of Frankfurt and its environs from pre-historic times, the Roman period, the Middle Ages and the modern era. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Archaeological-Museum

The Old Nikolai Church (Alte Nikolaikirche) belongs to the famous group on Frankfurt’s Römerberg. Visitors enjoy its harmonic carillon with 47 bells. This small church, dating back to the 13th century, presumably served as a royal chapel for Stauferian nobility. First official mention dates back to 24 September 1264. The chapel may well have served as electoral site for kings and parliaments. The church was sanctified in the name of St Nicolas of Bari in 1290. Later, the church became the preferred place of worship for the city's councillors. A Gothic-style gallery was added in 1476, from which the councilmen could watch the festivities. Two significant tombstones are located in the interior, honouring Siegfried zum Paradies and Katharina Netheha zum Wedel. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Discover-Experience/Best-of-Frankfurt2/reconstructed-old-town/Alte-Nikolaikirche

The present-day Frankfurt Cathedral was originally a Carolingian chapel. Although called a cathedral since the 18th century, it never was an episcopal church in the true sense. Consecrated in the name of St Bartholomew in 1239, this cathedral was officially chosen to serve as the electoral site for kings of the Holy Roman Empire in 1356. Ten imperial coronations took place here between 1562 and 1792. https://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=317578&_ffmpar[_id_inhalt]=5021018

The “Dreikönigskirche”, or “Church of the Three Kings”, is currently one of three places of worship of the Three Kings parish of Sachsenhausen, the largest Protestant parish in Frankfurt with some 6,200 members. It is situated directly on the banks of the River Main. Many believe the church to be older than it actually is. In truth, it was consecrated as recently as 1881. The precursor of this neo-Gothic church was the “Dreikönigskapelle” (“Chapel of the Three Kings”), consecrated in 1340. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Churches/Dreikoenigskirche

Here the city hatched from the egg in 1825. Today, the idyllic district with the Apostelkirche in the middle is the romantic heart of the city center, which keeps its seclusion a bit off the shopping streets next door. http://www.guetersloh.de/Z3VldGVyc2xvaGQ0Y21zOjIwNjE2.x4s

Romanesque pillar basilica with a double choir and a transept, built 1125/1130 – 1181 on the foundations of a structure erected by Bishop Burchard (1000 – 1025). Elaborate decorations in the east and west choirs. https://www.worms.de/en/tourismus/sehenswertes/

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic basilica in Bruges. The church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. The double church, dedicated to Our Lady and Saint Basil in the 12th century and a basilica since 1923, consists of a lower church that has maintained its Romanesque character and a neo-Gothic upper church, in which the relic of the Holy Blood is preserved. The treasury, with numerous valuable works of art, is also worth a visit. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/basiliek-van-het-heilig-bloed-basilica-of-the-holy-blood

The 115.5 metres high brick tower of the Church of Our Lady is a perfect illustration of the craftsmanship of Bruges’ artisans. The church displays a valuable art collection: Michelangelo’s world-famous Madonna and Child, countless paintings, 13th-century painted sepulchres and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. Useful to know: at the moment, large-scale renovation works are still being carried out, so the church is only partially accessible and many works of art cannot be viewed. The choir was renovated in 2015 and the remarkable church interior can now once again be admired in all its splendour. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/onze-lieve-vrouwekerk-church-of-our-lady

The Protestant Christuskirche alone impresses with its size - its round dome can be seen from afar and even towers over the nearby water tower. With its neo-baroque, magnificent exterior, it adapts to the surrounding villa district in the eastern part of the city - the Protestant church completed in 1911 is considered to be the most representative sacral building in Mannheim. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/Media/attraktionen/christuskirche2

The baroque backdrop for the market held here three times a week is formed by the ensemble of the old town hall and the parish church of St. Sebastian - which is incidentally Mannheim's oldest building. If you happen to lose track of time in the hustle and bustle of the market, two clocks and a bell tower are on hand to bring you back to the here and now. What's more, a glockenspiel sounds from the tower three times a day, charming more people than merely the wedding couple exchanging vows inside the walls. You can immerse yourself in Mannheim's internationality directly behind the marketplace. The predominantly Turkish-influenced district with its small shops and delicacies like baklava and pide can easily turn your thoughts to your next holiday. The huge selection of bridal and evening wear on offer here draws customers from over 150 kilometers away. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/en/Media/attractions/old-town-hall-and-st.-sebastian-church

The imposing baroque palace with its impressive size is not without reason the largest Baroque palace in Germany. Stroll across the wide Ehrenhof, be impressed in the former State Rooms and the Castle Church or enjoy the student bustle of the University of Mannheim, which is located in the castle. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/Media/attraktionen/barockschloss-mannheim