Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk

This baroque pilgrimage church, designed by Lucas Faydherbe, was one of the first domed churches in the Low Countries. The dome was meant to be even higher, but the substructure proved insufficiently robust. Architect and church engaged in a bitter battle about additional reinforcements.

Inside under the dome are two huge reliefs, also by Faydherbe. Until the bombing raids in the Second World War, everyone thought they were made of sandstone. But sandstone would have been too heavy, so the resourceful Faydherbe had used gypsum. Only when the damaged reliefs were repaired did the deception come to light. Since September 2025, you can also admire the original models that Faydherbe sculpted by hand (the so-called bozzetti) in the Basilica. They are among the highlights of Flemish Heritage.

At the front of the church is a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary which is carried in the annual Hanswijk procession. In 1985 the late Pope John Paul II prayed in this church, whose status was elevated to that of a basilica two years later.

At the back of the Basilica, there is also a treasury that you can visit free of charge.