Church of Our Lady of Laeken
Church of Our Lady of Laeken | |
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50°52′44″N 4°21′21″E / 50.879°N 4.3557°ECoordinates: 50°52′44″N 4°21′21″E / 50.879°N 4.3557°E | |
Location | Laeken, City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region |
Country | Belgium |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Website | Official website |
History | |
Status | Parish church |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Architect(s) | Joseph Poelaert |
Style | Gothic Revival |
Administration | |
Archdiocese | Mechelen-Brussels |
The Church of Our Lady of Laeken (French: Église Notre-Dame de Laeken; Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk van Laken) is a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium. It was originally built in memory of Queen Louise-Marie, wife of King Leopold I to the design of architect Joseph Poelaert.
Louise-Marie died in Ostend in 1850 and wished to be buried in Laeken. The nearby Royal Castle of Laeken was, and still is, the royal residence. Leopold I wished the church to be constructed in her memory and as a mausoleum for her.
The young architect Joseph Poelaert was chosen to design the new church.[1] (He later became best known for the Law Courts of Brussels.)
Royal Crypt[]
The first stone was laid by Leopold I in 1854. The church was consecrated in 1872, but not completed until 1909 after a lengthy interruption of the work. The crypt holds the tombs of the Belgian royal family, including those of all the former Belgian kings. These tombs include:
- Leopold I of Belgium
- Louise of Orléans
- Prince Baudouin of Belgium
- Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant
- Marie Henriette of Austria
- Leopold II of Belgium
- Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- Charlotte of Belgium, later known as Carlota of Mexico, empress consort of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico
- Albert I of Belgium
- Astrid of Sweden
- Elisabeth of Bavaria
- Prince Charles, Count of Flanders
- Leopold III of Belgium
- Baudouin of Belgium
- Lilian, Princess of Réthy
- Prince Alexandre of Belgium
- Fabiola de Mora y Aragon
The adjacent Laeken Cemetery behind the church is known as the "Belgian Père Lachaise" because it is the burial place of the major Catholic nobility, important families and some famous artists.
Gallery[]
SE view Inside the church Grave of Prince Baudouin with honour guard
See also[]
- List of churches in Brussels
- Roman Catholicism in Belgium
References[]
- ^ "Notre Dame church of Laken in Brussels". Retrieved 2009-05-01.
- Roman Catholic churches in Belgium
- Roman Catholic churches in Brussels
- City of Brussels
- Gothic Revival church buildings in Belgium
- Burials sites of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Belgium)