Our Lady Church

The Church of Our Lady is a church in Bruges, Belgium, dating mainly from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. Its tower stands at 122.3 meters high, standing as the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brick-built tower in the world. The choir space behind the high altar is the tombs of Charles the Skinhead and the later Valois Duke of Burgundy and his daughter, Duchess Mary. Both the gilded depictions of father and daughter provide comfort on the thick slice of polished black stone. Both are crowned and Charles is depicted with all his weapons and an ornament made of leaf gold. Near the apse on the south side of the large chapel is the statue of the Madonna and her Child, made by Michelangelo around 1504. The statue was probably originally designed for Siena Cathedral, purchased by two brothers Jan and Alexander Mouscron, who were merchants in Italy, and donated to its current location in 1514. The statue was recaptured after being looted twice.