26/08/2025
“A building does not have to be an important work of architecture to become a first-rate landmark. The essential feature of a landmark is not its design, but the place it holds in a city's memory. Compared to the place it occupies in social history, a landmark's artistic qualities are incidental.” Herbert Muschamp
The landmark Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp Belgium.
The Cathedral of Our Lady (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's seat of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been fully completed. It was constructed in the Gothic style by architects Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos. The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Belgium, with its tower rising 123 meters (404 ft) over the city.
In 1352, construction was begun on a new Our Lady's church which would become the largest Gothic church in Belgium. In the beginning, it was to be provided with two towers of equal height. In 1521, after nearly 170 years, the new church of Our Lady was ready. The south tower reached only as far as the third-string course.
During the night of 5–6 October 1533, the new church caught fire. The Antwerp mayor Lancelot II of Ursel is credited with playing a major part in the salvation of the church.
Through his active help and coordination, the cathedral is said to have been saved from total ruin. Nevertheless, 57 altars had not been saved and went up in flames. Lancelot suffered serious injuries but survived the ordeal according to the letters of the Italian chronicler Francesco Guicciardini. The completion of the second tower was delayed due to the fire and was ultimate abandoned.
The church was made the cathedral of the bishopric of Antwerp in 1559. It lost this title in 1801 during the period of French occupation of Belgium by the promolgation of the Concordat of 1801. It was made a cathedral again in 1961.
When Antwerp came under Protestant administration in 1581 a number of artistic treasures were once again destroyed, removed or sold. With the fall of Antwerp in 1585 Roman Catholic authority was restored.
In 1794 the French revolutionaries who conquered the region plundered Our Lady's Cathedral and inflicted serious damage.
Around 1798, the French administration intended to demolish the building but after each blow, the cathedral was able to recover. In 1816, various important works of art were returned from Paris, including three Rubens masterpieces. Over the course of the 19th century, the church was completely restored and refurnished.
The Cathedral was looted and vandalized in 1914 by German soldiers after the Siege of Antwerp (1914). Many of its treasures were taken to Berlin and not returned until after the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
Between 1965 and 1993, a complete restoration took place
Photography: unknown copyright but posted
on Gothic, Neo-Gothic, and Romanesque Architecture by Pablo Sandoval.
