Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Koekelberg
The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart, popularly known as the Koekelberg Basilica, was conceived by King Leopold II as a national shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, inspired by the Sacre-Coeur in Paris. He laid the first stone in 1905 during the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence, but construction stretched across two world wars and was not completed until 1970.
An early neo-Gothic design by Pierre Langerock was abandoned in favour of a striking Art Deco plan with neo-Byzantine inspiration by Ghent architect Albert Van Huffel, whose model won the Grand Prix at the 1925 Paris Exposition. The result is one of the largest Art Deco buildings on earth, 164.5 metres long and crowned by a green copper dome rising 89 metres, making it the largest church in Belgium and among the very largest churches in the world.
Beyond its scale, the basilica is a cultural landmark, housing museums, a panoramic gallery beneath the dome offering sweeping views over Brussels, and artworks including thirty-one engravings by Joan Miro on Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Sun. Belonging to the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, it remains an active place of worship and a defining feature of the city's skyline.
- Location
- 50.8667, 4.3172
- Local time
- 00:39 (Europe/Brussels)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 08:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 08:00–18:00 |
Typical published hours; the church usually opens 08:00-17:00 (summer until 18:00), with the panorama gallery on a separate schedule. Verify before visiting.
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Sacred Heart of Jesus Saint
The basilica is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a national votive shrine for Belgium.
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Saint Francis of Assisi Saint
Joan Miro created thirty-one engravings illustrating Saint Francis's Canticle of the Sun for the basilica's interior.
Care & donations
Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels
Entry to the church is free; the panorama gallery and museums charge a small admission fee, and donations are welcomed.
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