Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Nationale Basiliek van het Heilig-Hart) description and photos - Belgium: Brussels (Topic)

Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Nationale Basiliek van het Heilig-Hart) description and photos - Belgium: Brussels. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Nationale Basiliek van het Heilig-Hart.

Photo and description

The huge Basilica of the Holy Heart, the sixth largest Catholic church in the world, is located outside the historic center of Brussels - on Boulevard Leopold II. This building rises to a height of 90 meters, the length of its nave is 140 meters. The basilica began to be built only in 1905 and was finished only in 1969. There is an observation deck on its dome, from where you can see not only Brussels, but even the neighboring city of Mechelen.

A small hill in Elizabeth Park, as if by nature itself was intended for the construction of some magnificent structure. The first Belgian king Leopold I planned to build his own palace here. After the death of his father, his son Leopold II decided to build here a semblance of the Parisian Pantheon, but this idea did not cause a response in the hearts of the townspeople. At the beginning of the 20th century, the king had to visit the Sacre Coeur church, which is located in the French capital. He really liked it, so the king began to dream of a Brussels Basilica, consecrated in honor of the Sacred Heart. The first stone in the foundation of the future neo-Gothic temple was laid by the king himself in 1905, but soon the funding for the construction stopped. By 1919, only the foundation was ready. Already the third Belgian monarch, Albert I, decided to continue construction, although he completely revised the project of the future temple. Now Albert Van Huffel has been appointed as the architect of the church.

The reinforced concrete basilica, decorated with bricks, is highly functional. Its space is thought out in such a way that it is convenient and comfortable, first of all, for believers. Altars and statues are set in the most unthinkable corners, before which you can offer prayer. In addition to the prayer hall, there are also several museums and a restaurant.

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Topic: Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Nationale Basiliek van het Heilig-Hart) description and photos - Belgium: Brussels.