Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule (French) Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele (Dutch)
St. Michael and St. Gudula's Cathedral
50°50′52″N 4°21′37″E / 50.84778°N 4.36028°E / 50.84778; 4.36028
Location	Parvis Sainte-Gudule / Sinter-Goedelevoorplein 1000 City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region
Country	Belgium
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Official website
History
Status	Co-cathedral (Cathedral status from 1962)
Dedication	Saint Michael Saint Gudula (patron saints of Brussels)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Protected[1]
Designated	05/03/1936
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Gothic Brabantine Gothic Baroque
Years built	11th–15th centuries (church) 1485 (facade and towers)
Groundbreaking	c. 9th century (chapel)
Completed	1519
Specifications
Number of towers	2
Number of spires	2
Spire height	64 metres (210 ft)
Administration
Archdiocese	Mechelen–Brussels
Clergy
Archbishop	Luc Terlinden (Primate of Belgium)
Dean	Claude Castiau
Laity
Organist(s)	Xavier Deprez

The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (French: Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule; Dutch: Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele^[2]), usually shortened to the Cathedral of St. Gudula^[a] or St. Gudula^[b] by locals, is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in central Brussels, Belgium. It is dedicated to Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, the patron saints of the City of Brussels, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Brabantine Gothic architecture.

The Romanesque church's construction began in the 11th century, replacing an earlier chapel, and was largely complete in its current Gothic form by the 16th, though its interior was frequently modified in the following centuries. The building includes late-Gothic and Baroque chapels, whilst its neo-Gothic decorative elements, including some of its stained glass windows in the aisles, date from restoration work in the 19th century. St. Gudula also stands out for its musical components, notably its two pipe organs and its immense church bells. The complex was designated a historic monument in 1936.^[1]

The church was elevated to cathedral status in 1962 and has since been the co-cathedral of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels, together with St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen.^[2] As the national church of Belgium and the Primate of Belgium's official seat, it frequently hosts royal weddings, state funerals and other official ceremonies, such as the Te Deum on Belgian National Day.

Since the mid-20th century, following the construction of the North–South connection, St. Gudula is situated on the Parvis Sainte-Gudule/Sinter-Goedelevoorplein, a large forecourt east of the Boulevard de l'Impératrice/Keizerinlaan. This area is served by Brussels-Central railway station, as well as by Parc/Park metro station on lines 1 and 5 of the Brussels Metro.

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).