National Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Basiliekvoorplein 1 (ingang 6) / Parvis de la Basilique 1 (entrée au n°6)
1083 Koekelberg - Ganshoren
Basilica | 1905 | Art deco | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 April - 31 October
Mon 8.00 - 18.00
Tue 8.00 - 18.00
Wed 8.00 - 18.00
Thu 8.00 - 18.00
Fri 8.00 - 18.00
Sat 8.00 - 18.00
Sun 8.00 - 18.00
01 November - 31 March
Mon 8.00 - 17.00
Tue 8.00 - 17.00
Wed 8.00 - 17.00
Thu 8.00 - 17.00
Fri 8.00 - 17.00
Sat 8.00 - 17.00
Sun 8.00 - 17.00
Panorama
Summer : 9 a.m. - 5.30 p.m. (last ticket at 5 p.m.)
Winter : 10 - 16.30 (last ticket at 16h)
Admission fees : 8 € per person (6 € per person for groups of min 6 pers).
Modern Religious Art Museum
01/04 - 31/10 : Wed - Thurs - Fri - Sun : 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
01/11 - 31/03 : Fri & Sun : 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Guide: annemiegh@gmail.com of +32 475 966 566 (10 days in advance).
Museum Black Sisters
Summer : every wednesday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and by appointment
The museum is closed in winter.
Full information on the panorama and museums: website of the basilica - info@basilicakoekelberg.be
Guided tour
In Dutch, French or English: info@basilicakoekelberg.be or +32 2 421 16 60.
Religious offices
Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday : 9 am (FR)
Wednesday : 8.15 am (FR) • 9 am (NL)
Sunday : 9 am (FR) • 10 am (FR) • 11.30 am (NL)
See the updated timetable on the website of our partner Egliseinfo
Description
The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart Koekelberg is one of the most important and imposing churches in Brussels. Its dimensions (164m long,107m wide, 93m high) puts it 5th on the list of biggest churches in the world. It is also the biggest art deco building in western Europe, built on a plateau and thus visible from far around.
The idea for a grand national basilica came from king Leopold II, inspired by the church of Montmantre in Paris, France. Construction started in 1905, was interrupted by world war I and was finished in 1970. Cardinal Mercier proclaimed the basilica a National Monument of the Peace.
The structure is reinforced concrete, covered by stone or glazed terracotta tiles. The interior provides an open view of the nave and side chapels, stained glass windows donated by catholic organisations and families from around the world.
Panorama : at a height of 52,80m, right under the dome of the Basilica, an external gallery allows you to discover a breath-taking view of Brussels and Brabant. On a clear day one can see as far as Mechelen Cathedral and the 'Plan Incliné' of Ronquières.
Koekelberg Basilica houses the Museum of Modern Religious Art in the domed gallery on the 3rd floor. There is an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures by artists for whom religion and spirituality have often been an important source of inspiration....
A new 2016 visitors guide book is available in Dutch, French and English.
KIKIRPA : Photo-library online
Photos
Media
Remarkable elements
Panorama
At a height of 52,80m, right under the dome of the Basilica, an external gallery allows you to discover a breath-taking view of Brussels and Brabant. On a clear day one can see as far as Mechelen Cathedral and the 'Plan Incliné' of Ronquières.
Modern Religious Art Museum
The Basilica of Koekelberg hosts an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from the Modern Religious Art Museum of the diocese of Bruges. Religion is often a source of inspiration for these artists. Above all, the figure of Christ is central in this artistic spectrum.The acquisitions of the last decade are very important in the presentation of the museum: there are 7 original lithography’s of Manessier representing Easter; " Càntic del sol ", 31 etchings of Joan Miró on the psalm of Franciscus and “Passage du bleu”, a painting of Geneviève Asse on a biblical theme.
Black Sisters Museum
The religious congregation of the “Black Sisters” originates from a late branch of a medieval movement called “Cellites”. Having originated in the Rhineland, this movement, which was devoted to the ideal of poverty, rapidly spread through the Low Countries. As its followers primarily cared for the plague-stricken, they could rely on huge backing from the local population. In 1459, Pope Pius II issued a Papal bull as a result of which the communities of cellites could accept a monastic rule and make religious vows. The majority of the communities of cellites followed the rule of St. Augustine and received the predicate “Black Sisters”. In a letter from 1465 we find for the first time a specific denomination for the Convent of the Black Sisters in Brussels: “de swesteren in bruessel geheten thuys van affrica”.It was one of the smallest convents in the city. But compared to other communities of Black Sisters in the Lowlands, the convent was rather rich, because Brussels was the administrative and political capital of the country, and because of this, the clients were financially stronger.
Following the move of the cloister from the centre of Brussels in 1998, part of their legacy was handed to the "Friends of the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart". A museum section was established to welcome the bequest of the community.
Statue Sacred Heart - George Minne
George Minne was born in Ghent in 1866 as a son of an architect. From 1882 till 1884 he studied in the Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent and he focused on the painting of biblical subjects. Thanks to his friendship with Maurice Maeterlinck, he was introduced in the symbolic school. In 1898 he moved to Sint-Martens-Latem, where he will live until his death in 1941, with the exception of a stay in Wales during World War I. He was a member of the innovative Belgian group of artists “Les XX” (Les Vingt). For the Basilica of Koekelberg Minne made the sculpture of the Sacred Heart for the altar in the apse. He also made the bronze calvarie at the outside of the basilica.
Harry Elstrøm
Harry Elstrøm (1906-1993) was born in Berlin in 1906 as the son of a German industrial and an English author. He studied art and history of art in Dresden, Rome and Brussels. In 1934 he settled as an independent artist in Brussels. Elstrøm is known above all for his innovative work in religious art. In 1940, he became teacher in sculpture in the Saint-Lucas Institute of Brussels, and in 1952 he started teaching at the faculty of Applied Science at the Catholic University of Leuven. The impressive sculptures Harry Elstrøm made for the basilica are expressionistic. The sculptures fit very well with the concept of the basilica and accentuate its grandeur. The most important work of Elstrøm for the basilica is the majestic calvarie with the four angels above the ciborium of the main choir. The sculptures of the four evangelists at the outside of the basilica above the narthex are also made by Elstrøm.
Scale model of the basilica
After the rejection of the Langerock project after World War I (due to the high production costs), the architect Albert Van huffel (Ghent 1877-Tervuren 1935) was asked to design the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Due to his modest origin, Albert Van huffel combined his studies of Expressive Arts in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent out of necessity with an education in several practical skills. Afterwards, he settled as an independent architect and decorator. From 1918 till 1925, he was artistic director of the company “l’Art Décoratif Céline Dangotte” in Brussels. He was also head of the ornament course at the Higher Institute for Decorative Art in Brussels.
The early work of Van huffel was eclectic, but in the 1920s there was an important evolution. Simplicity and geometry had become the most important characteristics of his work. Van huffel is looking for a coherent, functional and beautiful aesthetic, in which furniture, decoration and architecture are integrated.
In 1921, his first project for the basilica was ready. With his scale model (1/40) of the basilica he won the Grand Prix for Architecture at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. You can still see the model in the basilica. After the death of Albert Van huffel in 1935, his assistant and successor, engineer-architect Paul Rome, continued the project. He changed hardly anything to the design. He only made a few technical improvements and some modifications at the cupola.
