Church of Our Lady of Laeken

Church of Our Lady of Laeken

Church of Our Lady of Laeken
4.5
What people are saying
Alex David
By Alex David
A Homely House of Kings
4.0 of 5 bubblesAug 2019
I had the opportunity to visit this church at a very special time: one of the few days during the year when the Royal Crypt is open for visiting. Our Lady of Laeken holds the tombs of every Belgian king and queen who have reigned in the country since it became independent in 1830. In truth, this only comes up to five monarchs buried there (two are still living) but the crypt was still very interesting. King Leopold I, the founder of the dynasty, has a large tomb in the middle of the space, while the other kings and their spouses share single sarcophaguses near the walls (or in the case of Leopold III, three people share a single sarcophagus since he is buried with both his wives). I was struck by how pomp-less and unpretentious the crypt looked, not at all what you would expect from a place where kings are buried. There was, in fact, something quite homely about it, especially the fact that tombs had small frames over them containing black-and-white photos of the king or queen buried within it, just as you would find in many Catholic cemeteries in Europe. The rest of the church, built in the 19th century, is pretty both on the inside and the outside, though there is not a great deal else to see. Getting there is straightforward. You can either walk for 10 minutes from the Bockstael Metro station, or walk down from Laeken Park. I recommend the first option as it's quicker. Coming to see the church when the Royal Crypt is open is a bit more of a challenge. Generally, the yearly opening days are posted on the website of the Belgian monarchy, but sometimes they disappear from there as well, and when they are up they don't tell you at which times on the selected days the crypt is open (I first arrived in the morning only to find out the church was only going to be open in the afternoon). The church does not have an updated website so the exact days and times are only posted on the church's own doors! On top of that, when I visited a notice inside seemed to give additional 'secret' days when the church was open on Saturdays. It all feels like visiting some secret Shangri La, but do not be discouraged. Do your research and you will not be disappointed when you visit. It really is a unique opportunity to see how Belgian kings and queens prefer to be buried as normal human beings.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles62 reviews
Excellent
28
Very good
27
Average
6
Poor
1
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0

Alex David
London, UK218 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
I had the opportunity to visit this church at a very special time: one of the few days during the year when the Royal Crypt is open for visiting. Our Lady of Laeken holds the tombs of every Belgian king and queen who have reigned in the country since it became independent in 1830. In truth, this only comes up to five monarchs buried there (two are still living) but the crypt was still very interesting.
King Leopold I, the founder of the dynasty, has a large tomb in the middle of the space, while the other kings and their spouses share single sarcophaguses near the walls (or in the case of Leopold III, three people share a single sarcophagus since he is buried with both his wives). I was struck by how pomp-less and unpretentious the crypt looked, not at all what you would expect from a place where kings are buried. There was, in fact, something quite homely about it, especially the fact that tombs had small frames over them containing black-and-white photos of the king or queen buried within it, just as you would find in many Catholic cemeteries in Europe.
The rest of the church, built in the 19th century, is pretty both on the inside and the outside, though there is not a great deal else to see. Getting there is straightforward. You can either walk for 10 minutes from the Bockstael Metro station, or walk down from Laeken Park. I recommend the first option as it's quicker.
Coming to see the church when the Royal Crypt is open is a bit more of a challenge. Generally, the yearly opening days are posted on the website of the Belgian monarchy, but sometimes they disappear from there as well, and when they are up they don't tell you at which times on the selected days the crypt is open (I first arrived in the morning only to find out the church was only going to be open in the afternoon). The church does not have an updated website so the exact days and times are only posted on the church's own doors! On top of that, when I visited a notice inside seemed to give additional 'secret' days when the church was open on Saturdays. It all feels like visiting some secret Shangri La, but do not be discouraged. Do your research and you will not be disappointed when you visit. It really is a unique opportunity to see how Belgian kings and queens prefer to be buried as normal human beings.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bubbles73uk
Weedon Bec, UK854 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
King Leopold I built this church in memory of his wife, Queen Louise-Marie. She is buries in the crypt along with other members of the Belgian royal family. The adjacent cemetery is known as the Belgian Pere Lachaise.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Foodlover
Paris, France197 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2011 • Solo
Comparable to the gorgeous Père Lachaise in Paris.
This cemetery is outstanding. Very quiet and peaceful.
Some graves are very old and overgrown, it's simply beautiful.
Be sure to visit the crypts underneath.
Easy to get lost in this place for a few hours.
Written July 22, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tripsandfood55
London, UK3,897 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2017 • Couples
This is an impressive very tall church that was originally built in memory of Queen Louise-Marie, wife of King Leopold I.

The church itself is fairly empty inside with tall ceilings. The outer structure is attractive in style and picturesque.

Most impressive is the cemetery right next to the church that holds a number of very interesting graves, tombs, and art in the form of sculptures. When we visited, the cemetery closed at 4.30pm.

There are a few cafes near by that serve food, coffees and alcohol. Although choice is limited. We went to one for a snack and enjoyed sitting outside and viewing the church.
Written September 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

guido00001
Brussels, Belgium78 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2017 • Friends
My whole life I drive by this church but now friends take me to visit the church the royal crypt and the cemetery. In one word very impressive we had a guide that tell us all small details and a congratulations for the amazing restoring of the cimetière.
I advise my friends to stop there before going to the center. Was a positive experience
Written November 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Quill2005
Ocala, FL231 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2016 • Couples
The church of Our Lady of Laeken, completed in the early 1900s, is in a lovely Neo-Gothic style. It’s not as centrally located in Brussels as other impressive churches such as the Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula, and the church of Notre Dame du Sablon, but if you can make it out to Laeken, don’t miss paying a visit to this church and the adjoining cemetery. Besides the nice interior, the church is the final resting place of senior members of the Belgian royal family. Before visiting, check the hours that the mausoleum is open (usually Sunday afternoons). The church can be reached by riding the Metro, with some changes, and then there is a little bit of a walk once one exits the Metro stop. Otherwise, a trip by car is more convenient.
Written September 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Globetrotter045
Haacht, Belgium5,458 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Solo
Visit also the cemetery next to the church, it is one of the most beautiful of Belgium. In the 19th and 20th century important figures from the Brussels nobility and bourgeoisie were buried here. Because they wanted to impress even after death, many tombstones are decorated with sculptures from famous artists. One grave has even one of the original sculptures of the Thinker by Auguste Rodin. It is a very large cemetery, you can walk around for hours and take many photos. Highly recommended.

The church is open in the afternoon, the cemetery the whole day from Tuesday to Sunday. You can get here by tram, bus or metro from the city center.
Written November 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

himadrigorai
Brussels, Belgium952 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Friends
The church is situated near the Castle of Laeken, about 20 mins tram ride from city center. However, this is really beautiful even though not very old compared to the St Michael's cathedral. It was made in the 17th century and it is really tall and has unique features in its architecture. If you have some time in Brussels apart from visiting the central area, do visit this church.
Written May 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Delford M
Cork, Ireland456 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Friends
Pleasantly surprised. So much history and easy to access from city Centre. We spent a good amount of time here wandering
Written January 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SimKris
Melbourne, Australia98 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2017 • Couples
If visiting a cemetery is your thing then don't miss this one, as it has some amazing old graves. Some of the sculptures give an interesting insight into the way people grieve for a loved one/s. There seems to be cleaning and restoration of graves in some areas and unfortunately it has not been done in a tasteful manner.
Written April 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Church of Our Lady of Laeken, Brussels

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