The Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula is located on the Treurenberg Hill of Brussels, on the border between the old and new parts of the city. The church is a magnificent work of Gothic art, whose saints are also the patron saints of the Belgian capital. This architectural structure with symmetrical towers, columns with openwork capitals, statues of saints and beautiful stained-glass windows is a working religious cathedral that attracts the attention of tourists and visitors to the capital. It ranks on a par with the Cathedral of Antwerp and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris in terms of its cultural significance. It houses a mausoleum to the Belgian national hero Frederick de Merode.
The cathedral was originally named after St Michael. However, after the transfer of Gudula's remains to the church in 1047, the modern double name was adopted. Originally the building was made in Romanesque style, but after reconstruction in XIII century it was changed to Gothic. The height of the cathedral is 64m and its length is 110 m; for comparison, the height of Notre Dame in Paris is 33 m. The cathedral has a large and beautiful organ.
The Cathedral has hosted such significant events for Belgium: the funerals of Albert I in 1934 and of his wife Astrid of Sweden in 1965; in 1995 it was visited by Pope John Paul II. The nuptials of Duke Philippe and Duchess Mathilde in 1999 and of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire in 2003.
