Sint-Baafskathedraal

Sint-Baafskathedraal Review

St. Bavo's Cathedral, begun in the 13th century but finished in the 16th in the ornate Brabantine Gothic style, dramatically rises from a low, unimposing entryway. It contains one of the greatest treasures in Christendom: De aanbidding van het Lam Gods (see The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb).

Emperor Charles V was christened here more than 500 years ago. The cathedral was originally dedicated to St. John and it became the site for the veneration of St. Bavo, Gent's own saint, after Charles V had the old Abbey of St. Bavo razed. The Order of the Golden Fleece, instituted in Brugge by Philip the Good in 1430, was convened here in 1559 by Philip II of Spain. It is still in existence, currently presided over by King Juan Carlos of Spain as grand master. The coats of arms of the 51 knights who first belonged to the Order still hang in the south transept. The cathedral's ornate pulpit, made of white Italian marble and black Danish oak, was carved in the 18th century by the sculptor Laurent Delvaux. Angels, cherubs, massive trees, flowing robes, and tresses combine to create a masterwork. A Rubens masterpiece, Saint Bavo's Entry into the Monastery, hangs in one of the chapels. Other treasures include a baroque-style organ built in 1623 and a crypt crammed with tapestries, church paraphernalia, and 15th- and 16th-century frescoes.