St. Saviour’s Cathedral

St. Saviour’s Cathedral is the oldest religious building in Bruges. The first stone was laid in the 10th century, and construction continued into the 15th century. Today, it stands as one of the city’s longest-surviving and most carefully crafted structures, the work of generations of skilled artisans and architects who shaped this landmark over the centuries. Though it may not have the dramatic flair of some other cathedrals from the same period, St. Saviour’s has been the city’s main Catholic church—and the seat of the Bishop of Bruges—since the 1800s. Built entirely from brick and in the Gothic style, the cathedral has a rather austere interior, but you’ll still find some remarkable treasures—especially the six magnificent tapestries hanging above the choir stalls. Here’s a fun fact: after a fire damaged the building in 1839, an English architect led the restoration efforts. Yet when the time came to add a spire to the bell tower… he wasn’t even consulted. Proof that sometimes, not even the architect gets the final say.