In the early twentieth century, King Leopold II suggested and supported the construction of a vast church at the end of a long tree-lined avenue on the Koekelberg plateau. The architect Pierre Langerock was commissioned, and designed a large Neo-Gothic building, whose construction began in 1905. By 1920, only the foundations and part of the crypt had been built. Cardinal Mercier, Primate of Belgium, then intervened and decided to abandon the original design and to build something less expensive. A design competition was held, but none of the entries was accepted and Mercier appointed the architect Albert Van Huffel, on the recommendation of a friend. Work on the new building began in 1926 and made slow progress. In 1930, Van Huffel went into partnership with Paul Rome, who completed the building in 1970, after Van Huffel's death. Today the building is the fifth-largest Roman Catholic church in the world and its vast size is breathtaking. It is a veritable manifesto for religious Art Deco. Visits will include the ascent to the viewing platform with unique views of Brussels.

Prior Reservation required