Saint Michael’s Church

The Church of Saint Michael

The Ghent audio-guided tour presents you with the Church of Saint Michael, a photogenic monument that appears on many postcards of the city, and whose history was nevertheless eventful.

A church marked by the wars of religion

The construction of the present church began in 1440, to replace a Romanesque chapel of the eleventh century destroyed by a fire. The works extended over several centuries, interrupted by the wars of religion, and were only completed in 1825. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish Netherlands, of which Ghent was part, were hard hit by the confrontations between Catholics and Calvinist Protestants, whose culmination was the iconoclasm of 1566, when many churches lost statues and stained-glass windows. An anecdote tells that the brewers of Ghent, the main benefactors of the building, offered beer to the insurgents to divert them from the pillage. The interior was then restored in the Brabantine Gothic style, typical of the region.

What there is to see

The Church of Saint Michael invites contemplation through its Brabantine Gothic architecture and its peaceful atmosphere, at the edge of the Lys. From the neighbouring Saint Michael's bridge, it composes, with the towers of the city, one of the finest views of Ghent, by day as by night. A witness of the troubled hours of the wars of religion, it remains a spiritual and heritage landmark of the historic centre.

Practical information

The Church of Saint Michael is at the edge of the Lys, near Saint Michael's bridge, in the historic centre of Ghent. A place of worship open to visitors, it is discovered with respect for the services; the opening hours are to be checked on site.

When was the Church of Saint Michael built?

Its construction began in 1440 and, after long interruptions due to the wars of religion, was only completed in 1825.

What is the iconoclasm of 1566?

A wave of destruction carried out by the Calvinists against Catholic churches, which then lost statues and stained-glass windows.