Church of Our Lady

At 115.6 metres, the brick tower of the Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) is still the tallest structure in Bruges and the third tallest brickwork church tower in the world, after St. Mary's in Lübeck and St. Martin's in Landshut. This Roman Catholic church dedicated to Mary was founded in 1210 and dates mainly from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. It is a protected monument and also serves as a museum.

Outside, prominent Gothic flying buttresses built in the 1270s and 1280s brace the walls, and later work added Gothic Revival elements. Inside, the nave has cross-vaults and black and white tiled flooring, while the side aisles and chancel are richly ornamented in the Baroque style. One chapel was created in 1482 as the private place of worship of Lodewijk van Gruuthuse, a wealthy local man. The church suits visitors interested in medieval architecture and the history of Bruges.