Cathedral of our Lady

The Antwerp Cathedral of our Lady is a masterpiece of lace work in stone. Begun in 1352, it is one of the finest gothic buildings in Europe. The church, which became a cathedral in 1559 replaced a Romanesque church built in the 12th century. The last vestiges of that church were demolished in 1481.

The overall design of the Antwerp Cathedral is attributed to Jean Appelmans, also known as Jean Amel de Boulogne, although the construction was most likely headed by De Waghemakere. A 19th century statue at the base of the southern spire commemorates the architect.

The choir and nave were built first between 1352 and 1411. The west front was built later, between 1422 and 1474. The last part, the tower, was finished in 1518. Of the two planned towers, only the northern was finished. The octagonal portion of the tower, constructed between 1501 and 1507 was designed by Herman de Waghemakere. Inside the tower is a carillon with 47 bells. The actual spire was built by Domien de Waghemakere, Antoon Keldermans II, and Rombout Keldermans between 1508 and 1518.

The broad central nave is flanked by three aisles on each side, creating a huge interior space with 48 pillars in each aisle. The cathedral has a length of 117m and a depth of 65m. The interior height is 40 meters.

The cathedral was the tallest structure in the Low Countries for several centuries. Even now, the 123 meter (405ft) tall spire reigns over the city. Partly due to height restrictions in Antwerp, it is still the tallest building in the city. As an example of the aspirations of Antwerp in its golden age, Emperor Charles V laid the first stone of an substantial extension, three times the size of the current one, which would make it the largest building on earth. Water damage resulting from a severe fire in the nave in 1533, which destroyed the ceiling and the gothic furniture, prevented the construction of this megalomaniac project.

In 1566 and again in 1581, the interior of the cathedral was badly damaged by the Calvinists during the iconoclastic furies. In the 18th century, the French even threatened to demolish the building entirely. Fortunately, the city architect could hold off those plans. During the French occupation, most of the interior was sold by the French.

Despite all the plundering, major art treasuries have survived. The most notable are three large paintings by Rubens: Descent from the Cross (1612), Elevation of the Cross (1610) and the Resurrection Triptych (1612). There are many more notable objects inside like altars, confessionals, statues and the pulpit. The main relic that survived the middle ages is the bronze tomb of Isabella of Bourbon. The Cathedral is also adorned with 34 huge stained windows.