Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp is a real monument of history and culture that has survived to the present day. One of its three towers, the north tower, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, although the entire cathedral is of great value to society. The interiors and details of the cathedral are part of history: stained glass windows, numerous paintings, furniture, altars, various wall decorations are traces of time, and people cherish them.

History

Since the 12th century, there has been a small chapel of the Mother of God on the site of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, and later it was replaced by a larger church. And in the second half of the 14th century, the construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp began. Some believe that it is still incomplete today. The construction process lasted for many decades, as the years passed, and the architects replaced each other. Interestingly, many sons started working on the cathedral after the death of their fathers.

According to the original idea, the exterior facade was to be decorated with two majestic towers. There is only one such tower today, and it is all the more valuable. It is decorated with a small structure on top and a cross, and in the central part there is a beautiful clock. Only a part of the second tower remains, and it is also topped by a small spire. In the central part, a kind of tower is made in the form of a right angle. The history of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp is intertwined with the history of the city. In 1533, when the cathedral was considered almost completed, a large fire broke out, it damaged part of the building, and it was he who slowed down the construction of the second tower. During the French occupation, the church was looted and even wanted to burn down, but Napoleon intervened, and the cathedral remained intact. The building was also damaged during the Second World War. The second part of the 20th century turned out to be quite calm for the cathedral, it was completely restored, and many relics were returned to its walls.

Attractions

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp impresses with both its exterior and interior, it is an example of Gothic architecture, albeit with numerous elements of other styles brought here by various craftsmen. The cathedral organ appeared here in the 19th century, thanks to a generous donation, and since then it has been actively used during services and ceremonies. Most of the parts remain original, but some were replaced during the restoration and repair work.

Since ancient times, Rubens' paintings have been exhibited in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, among them "Exaltation of the Cross", "Resurrection", "Descent from the Cross", "Resurrection" and "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary". From the very beginning of the construction there is a marble Madonna and child, it was made by an unknown author.  Along with her, the wooden sculpture of the Mother of God is being protected, no matter what, she survived and remained unharmed.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp is a real monument of history and culture that has survived to the present day. One of its three towers, the north tower, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, although the entire cathedral is of great value to society. The interiors and details of the cathedral are part of history: stained glass windows, numerous paintings, furniture, altars, various wall decorations are traces of time, and people cherish them.

History

Since the 12th century, there has been a small chapel of the Mother of God on the site of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, and later it was replaced by a larger church. And in the second half of the 14th century, the construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp began. Some believe that it is still incomplete today. The construction process stretched over many decades, as years passed, and architects replaced each other. Interestingly, many sons started working on the cathedral after the death of their fathers.

According to the original idea, the exterior facade was to be decorated with two majestic towers. There is only one such tower today, and it is all the more valuable. It is decorated with a small structure on top and a cross, and in the central part there is a beautiful clock. Only a part of the second tower remains, and it is also topped by a small spire. In the central part, a kind of tower is made in the form of a right angle. The history of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp is intertwined with the history of the city. In 1533, when the cathedral was considered almost completed, a large fire broke out, it damaged part of the building, and it was he who slowed down the construction of the second tower. During the French occupation, the church was looted and even wanted to burn down, but Napoleon intervened, and the cathedral remained intact. The building was also damaged during the Second World War. The second part of the 20th century turned out to be quite calm for the cathedral, it was completely restored, and many relics were returned to its walls.

Attractions

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp impresses with both its exterior and interior, it is an example of Gothic architecture, albeit with numerous elements of other styles brought here by various craftsmen. The cathedral organ appeared here in the 19th century, thanks to a generous donation, and since then it has been actively used during services and ceremonies. Most of the parts remain original, but some were replaced during the restoration and repair work.

Since ancient times, Rubens' paintings have been exhibited in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, among them "Exaltation of the Cross", "Resurrection", "Descent from the Cross", "Resurrection" and "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary". From the very beginning of the construction there is a marble Madonna and child, it was made by an unknown author. Along with her, the wooden sculpture of the Mother of God is being protected, no matter what, she survived and remained unharmed.