И храм, и музей, и усыпальница And the temple, and the museum, and the tomb

Rating 9110

It is the most visited church in the city by tourists. It is located almost in the center and on the road of sightseeing tours, so it is hard to pass by. It is the tallest building in Bruges with a tower of 122 m. The first church built on the site of the modern one dates from the second half of the 9th century. The construction of the Romanesque church was started with the support of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, around 1100. Much has happened over the centuries, fires and floods, and during the occupation after the French Revolution in 1789, the building was put up for auction. The parishioners had to buy their own church. This church is interesting not only as a building that combines the features of the Gothic and Romanesque styles, but also one of the few churches outside of Italy where the sculpture of Michelangelo's "Virgin Mary with Child" or Madonna of Bruges, as it is called there, has been preserved.
It was originally intended for the Siena Cathedral, but was acquired by a merchant from Bruges, who then donated it to the church. Also of interest are the magnificent gravestones of Mary of Burgundy and her father Charles the Bold, who died in 1477 in a battle near French Nancy. The sarcophagus of Mary, made of black marble and surmounted by a reclining image of her in bronze, is an example of the late Gothic style. The tomb of Charles also has a reclining image of Charles in bronze. There are still many ancient paintings of great historical value in the church. Entrance to the temple is free, and to see the work of Michelangelo and the tomb you need to buy an entrance ticket for 8 euros, but it's worth it.