Â鶹APP

Cathedral of St. Bavo, photo by Jane023

Top 10 Interesting Facts about St. Bavo’s Cathedral

St Bavo’s Cathedral which is also known as Sint -Baafs Cathedral. It is the cathedral of the catholic church in Ghent Belgium. The 89 meter tall Gothic building has been the seat of the Diocese of Ghent and is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent. It contains the well-known Ghent Altarpiece.

The Cathedral which stands on the site of the former chapel of St.John Baptist  that was primarily of wooden construction. It was consecrated in 1942 by Transmarus, Bishop of Tournal and Noyon. There are traces of later Romanesque structure that can be found in the cathedral’s crypt. The construction of the Gothic church began around 1274.

Ghent has been one of the most powerful cities in western Europe in the middle age. And this is reason couldalway afford to build bigger and richer buildings like St John church which was converted in the Gothic style in the course of the 15th and 16th century 

Here are Top 10 Interesting Facts about St. Bavo’s Cathedral

1. There is a history  rebellion of St Bavo’s cathedral from church to Cathedral

St Bavo Cathedral photo by Sanne Roemen

St Bavo’s Cathedral has a Ghent’s rebellion history in its very stones. In the crypt the Romanesque style can still be seen in the central nave. During  the 15th century, it was decided that the Romanesque structure would be replaced with a larger Gothic church that was completed in 1559.

In 1540, the church became the seat of the Chapter of St Bavo, and St Bavo became the patron saint of the church. Later, in 1559, the church was converted into the cathedral of the Bishops of Ghent.

2. St Bavo’s Cathedral has been known for its Ghent Altarpiece

The Cathedral has been noted for the Ghent Altarpiece which was originally in the Joost Vijd Chapel. It is formally known as the Adoration of the mystic lamb after its lower center panel by Hubert and Jan Van Eyck.

This work has been considered Van Eyck’s masterpiece and one of the most important works of the early Northern Renaissance. It is also one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of Belgium. And the part of the painting, the lowermost left panel known as The Just Judges, was stolen in 1934 and has not been recovered. It has since been replaced with a facsimile by Jef Van der Veken.

3. The Cathedral  has also been a home to the works of other artists of note

St Bavo’s cathedral has been a  home to the works of other artists of note. It holds the painting Saint Bavo enters the Convent at Ghent by Peter Paul Rubens. There are also works by or after Lucas de Heere, one of which is a View of Gent.

 Frans Pourbus the Elder painted 14 panels representing the History of Saint Andrew (1572) and a Triptych of Viglius Aytta (1571). Caspar de Crayer is represented by paintings of St Macarius of Gent, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara.

The church also holds works by Antoon van den Heuvel including the Christ and the Adulterous Woman and the Resurrection of Christ. There are also works by Lucas van Uden and Jan van Cleef.

4. St Bavo’s Cathedral has 4 organs that are used at Liturgical celebrations

St Bavo Cathedral photo by Sanne Roemen

The cathedral has four organs for use at liturgical celebrations. The most famous is the main organ in the Upper church which is  the biggest organ in the Benelux. In 1935 Mgr Coppieters commanded that the Klais organ from the world exhibition would be put inside the cathedral. The organ case dates from the 18th century and the complete organ has more than 6000 pipes inside. It has 5 manuals

5.The Building works of Cathedral was over a period of 500 years till the architectural gem was complete

St Bavo Cathedral / Ghent, Belgium photo by Sergey Ashmarin

St Bavo’s Cathedral building works were carried out in the cathedral in Ghent over a period of 500 years until its architectural gem was finally completed in1569.The result  has been  an edifice that features a large number of building styles, with Gothic dominating.

6.The St. Bavo’s Cathedral  has an 89 meter tall catholic  Gothic Cathedral in Ghent Belgium

The Saint Bavo Cathedral is an 89-meter-tall Catholic, Gothic cathedral in Ghent, Belgium. It is the seat of the diocese of Ghent, is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent, and contains the well-known Ghent Altarpiece. The building is built on the site of the former Chapel of St. John the Baptist, primarily of wooden construction that was consecrated in 942 by Transmarus, Bishop of Tournai and Noyon.

7.  Cathedral was named after  Saint Bavo in the 7th century

St Bavo Cathedral / Ghent, Belgium photo by Sergey Ashmarin

The Cathedral Sint Baaf (Saint Bavo) was named after Saint Bavo, a 7th century local nobleman who became a saint after he had given away his possessions to the poor and entered the monastery. St Bavo’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Ghent and the earliest records date it as far back as the 10th century.

8. St. Bavo’s Cathedral church was built in 3 major phases

The Romanesque church was gradually dismantled and replaced by a Gothic church which was built in three major phases. Its  chancel was renewed at the beginning of the 14th century. This work manifests clear evidence of influence from the north of France and the Scheldt Gothic. The chancel area and the radiating chapel date from the beginning of the 15th century.

During the second phase between 1462 and 1538, the imposing west tower was erected in Brabant-Gothic style. In 1533, work started on phase three, the building of the nave. After the canons of the disbanded St. Bavo’s Abbey were added to the St. John’s Church, it became a collegiate church, a place of study and worship. When the diocese of Ghent was established in 1561, the collegiate St. Bavo’s Church was elevated to a cathedral.

9. Charles V was baptized  in St Bavo cathedral church

In 1539, as a result of the rebellion against Charles V, who was baptized in the church, the old Abbey of St. Bavo was dissolved. Its abbot and monks went on to become canons in a Chapter that was attached to what then became the Church of Saint Bavo

10. The Diocese of Ghent was founded in1559

St Bavo Cathedral photo by Sanne Roemen

 When the Diocese of Ghent was founded in 1559, the church became its cathedral. Construction was considered complete in1569. In the summer of 1566, bands of Calvinist iconoclasts visited Catholic churches in the Netherlands, shattering stained-glass windows, smashing statues, and destroying paintings and other artworks they perceived as idolatrous.