Basilica of the Holy Blood
Basilica of the Holy Blood features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Bruges. Give it roughly ~45 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Bruges Bruges guide
About Basilica of the Holy Blood
A remarkable 12th-century basilica on Burg Square housing a venerated relic of Christ's blood, featuring a Romanesque lower chapel and a richly decorated Gothic upper chapel.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood stands on Burg Square and contains one of the most venerated relics in all of Christendom: a phial said to hold a cloth stained with the blood of Jesus Christ, brought to Bruges from the Holy Land in 1150 by Count Thierry of Alsace following the Second Crusade. The basilica consists of two stacked chapels of very different character. The lower Romanesque chapel of Saint Basil, dating from the 12th century, is austere and dark, with thick stone walls and round arches that evoke the early medieval world. Above it, the Gothic upper chapel, rebuilt in the 16th century and lavishly restored in the 19th, glitters with gilded statues, rich stained glass, and elaborate decoration. Every Friday, the relic is brought out for veneration.
Did you know? The Holy Blood relic has been venerated in Bruges since 1150, when Count Thierry of Alsace reportedly brought it back from the Second Crusade.
How long is a visit to Basilica of the Holy Blood?
Set aside roughly ~45 min for Basilica of the Holy Blood. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Basilica of the Holy Blood worth your time?
Basilica of the Holy Blood is among the 22 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Bruges, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Bruges
Hear the story of Basilica of the Holy Blood
Preview the Bruges tour free in the Gingerguide app.