This basilica as its namesake suggests, allegedly contains a relic of Christ, brought forth by Joseph of Arimithea. The cathedral itself is a mish-mash of Gothic and Romanesque styles and is composed of two chapels, the opulence of the basilica is quite impressive (as most Catholic churches usually are) and to see the relic, go to the upper chapel and there is a silver tabernacle that contains the rock-crystal vial with Jesus' blood.
A much newer cathedral than Our Beloved Lady right nearby, the Sint-Salvator Cathedral is an amalgam of architecture dating from as far back as the 9th Century up to the present day. Today, the church holds the largest congregation in Bruges and the tapestries by Jasper van der Borcht in 1731 are just one of the highlights while here.
The massive Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Kerk is regarded as one of the largest religious structures in Bruges, and its steeple is the second largest brick spires in the world. It was first constructed in 1225 and subsequently modified throughout the 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries. It is primarily known for holding a work from the famed Michelangelo, the Madonna met Kind or 'Madonna with Child', given to the cathedral by the native Bruges businessman Jan Van Moeskroen who had procured the statue on a trip to Italy (Siena) sometime in the late 1400s.
This church was initiated by an aristocratic family from Genoa in the 13th Century, and the Adorni family has not relinquished it since. The church has also received several new additions in the centuries thereafter and it is noted that its design is modeled on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Today, it is still remarkably intact and retains an inimitable charm that is a living model of preservation at its finest. The church also houses the Lace Center, which emphasizes the importance of cloth in the history of the city and offers guided information as well as selling different garments.