Bruges Hotels Guide: Basilica of the Holy Blood
The Basilica of the Holy Blood can be found in Bruges' Burg square. The 12th century basilica is actually two chapels - the Romanesque Basilius Chapel and the upper Chapel of the Holy Blood where the eponymous relic is kept.
The lower chapel still preserves it's original architecture and to the right of the choir can be found a statue of the Madonna dating from the thirteenth century. Also of note is a tympanum ( a sculptured stone) representing the baptism of St Basilius.
The Chapel of the Holy Blood was originally a romanesque church but was converted to a Gothic style in the sixteenth century and once again in the nineteenth. Of note is the Steeghere which is a beautifully painted facade covering the staircase leading up to the first floor chapel. The relic itself is kept within the silver alter during the week and is displayed every Friday between 3rd and 17th May.
The relic of the Holy Blood is supposed to be a bottle containing the blood of Christ collected by Joseph of Arimathea after he washed the body of Christ. The relic arrived in Bruges around 1250 and came from Constantinople. The relic is displayed during the famous Procession of the Holy Blood on Asuncion Day in May. The procession is famous for it's pageantry and the citizens of Bruges don historical costumes to re enact the arrival of the relic to the city.
