Notre-Dame du Sablon
Notre-Dame du Sablon is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Brussels audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~40 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~40 min
- Brussels Brussels guide
About Notre-Dame du Sablon
A magnificent 14th–15th century Flamboyant Gothic church in the elegant Sablon district, known for its extraordinary stained glass windows and the Renaissance chapel of the Thurn und Taxis family.
Notre-Dame du Sablon, Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon, is one of the finest Gothic churches in Belgium and a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic architecture. Construction began in the 14th century and continued through the 15th, producing an extraordinarily harmonious interior of soaring columns, elaborate tracery, and magnificent stained glass windows.
The church's origins trace to 1348, when a Brussels woman named Beatrice Soetkens reportedly carried a miraculous statue of the Virgin from Antwerp by boat, guided by divine instruction, establishing the site as a pilgrimage destination. Inside, the beautiful 16th-century Renaissance chapel on the south side was commissioned by the powerful Thurn und Taxis family, the pan-European postal dynasty, who made Brussels their home and are buried here. Adjacent to the church, the Place du Petit Sablon features 48 bronze statuettes representing the medieval guilds of Brussels.
Did you know? According to legend, the church was founded in 1348 when a Brussels woman named Beatrice Soetkens was divinely guided by boat from Antwerp carrying a miraculous statue of the Virgin.
How long should you spend at Notre-Dame du Sablon?
Plan about ~40 min at Notre-Dame du Sablon. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Notre-Dame du Sablon worth visiting?
Notre-Dame du Sablon is one of the 22 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Brussels, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Brussels
Hear the story of Notre-Dame du Sablon
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