Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

Construction of the current Cathedral of Our Lady began in 1352. The project, led by architects Jan and Pieter Appelmans, replaced an earlier Romanesque church on the same site and was intended to be the largest Gothic church in Belgium.

The largest bell in the cathedral's carillon, named Karolus, was cast in 1507 by the brothers Willem and Jaspar Moer. It was consecrated on 15 August 1507 in the presence of Karel, Lord of the Netherlands, who later became Emperor Charles V.

The first major phase of construction for the cathedral was finished in 1521, nearly 170 years after it began. While the structure was consecrated that year, it remained incomplete, with the intended second tower never finished.

During the night of 5-6 October 1533, a fire broke out in the new church. The mayor, Lancelot II of Ursel, helped coordinate efforts to save the structure from total ruin, although 57 permanent altars were destroyed in the blaze.

The church was designated as the cathedral of the newly formed bishopric of Antwerp in 1559. It held this ecclesiastical status until 1801, when it was lost during the period of French occupation following the Concordat of 1801.

On 20 August 1566, during the Beeldenstorm at the start of the Eighty Years' War, Protestant iconoclasts destroyed a large portion of the cathedral's interior, including altars, statues, and expensive artwork.

Following the return of looted artworks in 1816, including three Rubens masterpieces, the church underwent a comprehensive restoration and refurnishing program throughout the 19th century.

The cathedral's belfry was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Belfries of Belgium and France' in 1999 during the 23rd session of the World Heritage Committee.

Between 1965 and 1993, the cathedral underwent a major, complete restoration project to preserve its structural integrity and interior artistic treasures.