Onze - lieve Vrouwekerk in Bruges houses a marble sculpture by Michelangelo of the Virgin and child. The only one outside of Italy we were told. Church is an 8 euro admission charge to see this part , the rest of the church is free. Plenty of history to see here.

This Church was on my bucket list. Containing the famous Madonna and Child, this is a must see when visiting Bruges. There is an extra charge to get into the part of the church where the sculpture is, but the architecture alone is worth it and to see the Madonna is definitely worth it. Try and get there early, as it tends to get busy.

Visited this venue to see the Madonna and Child statue. The entry fee is covered with the Museum Card. There are other pieces of art on display as well. Well worth the <1 hour visit. Watch (or rewatch) the Monuments Men movie for some WWII context.

The Church of Our Lady in Bruges, Belgium (Roman Catholic) dating to the 13th century is well worth the visit (around 7 euros. It's tower soars over 375 feet making it the tallest structure in Bruges and the tallest brick tower in the world. It has all the usual Gothic elements that make it a photographer's delight. Baroque elements are also present due to it's construction taking a couple of centuries. The highlight is the Michelangelo Madonna and Child sculpture. It is the only by Michelangelo taken out of Italy. It was looted by the French in 1794 and the Nazis in 1944 (featured in the movie The Monuments Men.

The church itself is very nice, but not necessary to see. But the Michelangelo statue is a peer of his Moses and Pieta. There is a small charge to get into see the side chapel that houses the statue, and a place to sit quietly and contemplate it.

This lovely church had many beautiful religious objets d'art to look at, the highlight being the Michelangelo Madonna and child. The woodwork on the altar and pulpit was gorgeous. Samples of sarcophagi, painted quickly for burial and a recently excavated sarcophagus were also interesting.

I visited this beautiful church with some friends whilst on a visit to Bruges. There are many beautiful things to see, and it is DEFINITELY worth being among the minority who opt to pay to access the areas which are not part of the 'open access' area. It's not expensive, and life is short. So why not see some of the most beautiful objects in the church?