Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
Cathédrale des Saints-Michel-et-Gudule50°51′ N 4°22′ E
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (Saints-Michel-et-Gudule in French, Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele in Dutch) is the Catholic cathedral of Brussels, free to enter and step-free through a side door, and it suits visitors who want sung Mass or a quiet hour away from the Christmas market. Its Gothic church turns 800 in 2026, and the Gudula26 anniversary programme runs to 31 December.
Photo Florian Prischl · Wikimedia Commons · CC0 and others, credited in the gallery
The cathedral sits on the Treurenberg hill above the lower town. Its two west towers rise 64 metres in Gobertange stone. Duke Henry II of Brabant ordered the Gothic church in 1226, and builders finished it shortly before 1519. It became a cathedral in 1962 and shares that role with St. Rumbold's in Mechelen. Michael and Gudula are the patron saints of Brussels, and Gudula's relics came here in 1047.
The anniversary programme goes by the name Gudula26, and the cathedral publishes its calendar as a download. Visiting choirs from Cologne Cathedral and Lichfield sing there in mid-October 2026. Check the cathedral's events page in late November for Advent and Christmas.
Free guided tours in French and English start at the entrance on Saturdays at 14:00. Sixteen QR codes around the nave carry a self-guided tour for €5 or €6, in four languages.
Worth knowing
- The cathedral shop opens 10:00–17:30, and from 13:00 on Sundays. It hands out a free activity booklet for children aged 6 to 12.
- Food and drink stay outside, and the cathedral asks for silence inside.
Quick answers about Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
Is the Brussels cathedral free to visit?
Yes. The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is free to enter. The treasury costs €3, the Romanesque remains €2 and the crypt €4 by appointment.
Is the Brussels cathedral wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Step-free entry to the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is through the shop door on Place Sainte-Gudule, where you ring the bell to be let in.
What time is Mass at Brussels cathedral on Sunday?
Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is at 9:30 in French and 11:00 in French and Dutch with a choir. A Saturday evening Mass is said at 17:30 in French.