ANTWERP CATHEDRAL,
NETHERLANDS.

Antwerp Cathedral

Construction started in 1352 of a replacement parish church for Antwerp, which would eventually become the largest Gothic church in the Netherlands. The original plans show it with two towers of equal height.

By 1533, the north tower was complete but the south tower had only reached as far as the third string course.

During the night of 5th–6th October, 1533, the new church was largely gutted by fire and thereafter the second tower was never completed.

The church became the cathedral of the bishopric of Antwerp in 1559 but lost this title from 1801 to 1961. In 1566 Protestants destroyed a large part of the cathedral interior and later, when Antwerp came under Protestant administration, a number of artistic treasures were once again destroyed, removed or sold. The restoration of Roman Catholic authority came in 1585 with the fall of Antwerp.

The finished spire is 123 metres (404 ft) high, the highest church tower in the Benelux. The largest bell in the tower requires 16 bell ringers.

Info from Wikipedia.

Thanks to Richard Skelly for drawing my attention to Antwerp Cathedral.


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