Church of Our Lady of Laeken

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.

Church of Our Lady of Laeken
French: Église Notre-Dame de Laeken
Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk van Laken
50.879°N 4.3557°E / 50.879; 4.3557
LocationLaeken, City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region
CountryBelgium
DenominationRoman Catholic
WebsiteOfficial website
History
StatusParish church
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)Joseph Poelaert
StyleGothic Revival
Administration
ArchdioceseMechelen-Brussels

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 architect Joseph Poelaert was chosen to design the new church.[1] (He later became best known for the Law Courts of Brussels.)

Pope Pius XI crowned the venerated Marian image within on 17 May 1936 in the presence of the King Leopold III of Belgium and his royal heirs. This image of the Blessed Virgin Mary became the source for the image of Our Lady of China, crowned by Pope Francis on 19 February 2021.

Royal Crypt
Main article: Royal Crypt (Belgium)

The first stone was laid by King 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 Kings of the Belgians. These tombs include:

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.

  • The Royal Crypt
  • Inside the church
  • Grave of Prince Baudouin with honour guard

See also

References
  1. "Notre Dame church of Laken in Brussels". Retrieved 2009-05-01.
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