Church of St. Nicholas, Brussels

Church of St. Nicholas, Brussels tickets: which one to buy

The Church of Saint Nicholas stands a few steps from the Grand-Place in the centre of Brussels, beside the Bourse, and entry is free. It is one of the oldest churches in the city and a quiet refuge from the crowds of the square, although it is easy to miss because it is wedged between buildings. Walking tours of Brussels pass it on the way between the Grand-Place, the Bourse, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and the Manneken Pis.

The church is an active parish serving the local community, and it keeps limited opening hours; visiting pauses during services. Concerts are held occasionally. Nothing needs booking, and a visit takes only a few minutes, making it an easy addition to any walk in the old centre. The streets around are full of shops selling chocolate, lace and waffles. Mass times and concert dates are posted at the entrance on the Rue au Beurre side.

Visiting Church of St. Nicholas, Brussels: what to see

The church was founded in the eleventh or twelfth century and dedicated to Saint Nicholas, patron of merchants, because it served the traders of the nearby market. It has been rebuilt and altered many times; it was damaged during the French bombardment of Brussels in 1695, and a cannonball from that attack is kept embedded in one of the pillars inside. Houses were once built against the church walls, and the building has an irregular shape as a result, with a curved nave following the line of the old street. The present facade dates from the nineteenth century.

Inside, the church is dim and atmospheric, with Gothic arches, a carved pulpit, paintings, and a gilded copper shrine. The church also holds Byzantine-style icons, reflecting a connection with the Eastern churches, and a painting attributed to Rubens. The chancel is set at an angle to the nave, a result of the constraints of the medieval streets around the church. A painting of the Virgin and Child attributed to the circle of Rubens hangs near the altar. Stained glass windows, restored in the twentieth century, show saints and scenes of charity. The bell tower was demolished in the eighteenth century after a collapse, which is why the church lacks a tall spire.

Church of St. Nicholas, Brussels opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily, with shorter hours on Sundays and some weekday afternoons. The Grand-Place is busy all year, and particularly during the Flower Carpet, held every two years in August, when the square is covered with begonias, and during the Christmas market and light show in December. Brussels weather is often rainy, so the church makes a pleasant shelter.

Mornings are quiet in the streets around the church before the shops open. The feast of Saint Nicholas on 6 December is a traditional celebration in Belgium, when children receive gifts. Allow about fifteen minutes for the church, and then continue to the Galeries Royales and the Grand-Place. The Bourse building next door has been transformed into a museum of beer, with a rooftop bar.