Most beautiful churches in Brussels

In addition to the Cathedral, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Notre Dame du Sablon Church, many other churches in Brussels are worth checking out.

The most important churches

St-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg

The St-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg presides over the Place Royale with an imposing neoclassical façade which evokes a Greek or Roman temple. It's a church with a lot of history within its walls.

There was a chapel on the same site from the 12th century, which was pillaged during the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in 1579. In 1731, it was badly damaged during the fire that destroyed Coudenberg Palace and had to be demolished.

The current neoclassical church was built in 1787 and was used as a Temple of Law and Reason during the French Revolution until it was finally returned to the Catholic Church in 1802.

Despite its very imposing façade, the inside is rather plain and sparingly decorated, with two huge paintings on either side of the transept.

Notre Dame de la Chapelle

The Notre Dame de la Chapelle began as a small chapel, but its popularity increased and it was enlarged as a result. Thanks to the royal donation of 5 fragments of the Cross of Christ in 1250, the church slowly became a popular place of pilgrimage.

Constructed with Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles, the church has a rather stately façade with a dark Baroque bell tower that was added on in the year 1695.

Église Sainte-Catherine

Located on Place Sainte-Catherine, Égile Sainte-Catherine was built in the 19th century in a neo-Gothic-Renaissande style. The façade has a bit of a sinister and neglected look, which in fact adds to the charm of the church.

The former chapel, located at the same spot as the church, was attached to the city wall which is still visible. At the back of he church, you can see an emblematic black tower that once formed part of the city wall.

Notre Dame Du Finistére

The Notre Dame Du Finistére, constructed in the 18th century, is located on one of Brussels's main shopping streets, Rue Neuve. It's the third church to be located at this same site. The building, which was completed in 1730, has a classical Renaissance look to it, but is heavily influenced by the Brabant Baroque Style.

The inside of the church shines through its simplicity, columns, altars and light-coloured ceilings allow a large wooden cross decorated with a piece of white cloth to take centre stage.

Chapelle de la Madeleine

The Chapelle de la Madeleine is one of the oldest churches in Brussels. It was founded by the Brothers of Mercy in the 12th century on the foundations of the former church which is thought to have been built by the Templars.

It's a small and somber church, with little to no decoration but it is very cosy. It has no ornate, stand-out altar pieces or even a striking altar; a table and a crucifix are more than enough for the devout followers of Mary Magdelene.

Church of St. Nicholas

The Church of St. Nicholas, situated between the Stock Exchange and the Grand Palace, had to be restored on several different occasions after being damaged during bombings and pillaging. The façade, reconstructed in the Gothic style in the year 1956, is fairly recent,  however, on its inside many medieval elements, such as the choir have been well-preserved, and date back to 1381.

Once on the inside, your attention will be drawn to the fact that the high altar chapel is actually leaning to one side. The light-coloured columns stand out against the walls covered with dark wood, resulting a cosy atmosphere.