SINT-MICHIELSKERK
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St. Michael's Church in pure Brabantine Gothic style with numerous works, paintings and rich furniture.
It's a must-see and one of Ghent's postcards. It's also beautifully lit at night. St. Michael's Church is just over the bridge from Korenmarkt. It has an eventful history, and its construction has been compromised and modified over the centuries. Built on the site of a modest12th-century chapel destroyed by fire, its construction began around 1440 (the three-vessel nave, bell tower and transept) and took place in two phases, separated by a long interruption: in the mid-16th century, the Wars of Religion and iconoclastic ransacking destroyed the church's chevet (demolished by the Calvinists) and led to the looting of its treasures. The spire of St. Michael's should have outshone all others, in pure Brabantine Gothic style as in Antwerp, but history decided otherwise. The choir and apsidioles were rebuilt, but the bell tower, unfinished for lack of money, was given a flat roof in 1828 and rises to a height of just 24m. Pity, it was the same architect who designed the high Brabant Gothic spire of Antwerp Cathedral in 1662, Lieven Cruyl. The church is home to numerous works, including Christ Agonizing on the Cross by Antoon Van Dyck, and paintings by De Crayer and Philippe de Champaigne. Its rich furnishings include rococo confessionals, a pulpit of truths and a neo-Gothic altar. Until the end of the 18th century, the tavernkeepers' guild came here to pray.
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