The relic is housed in a 17th-century rock-crystal vial, which is kept inside a gold and silver reliquary.
The Romanesque chapel is one of the best-preserved examples of its architectural style in West Flanders.
The relic was reportedly brought to Bruges from the Second Crusade by Thierry of Alsace in 1150.
The upper chapel features a staircase dating from the early 16th century, adorned with statues of Burgundian and Flemish rulers.
The Basilica was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1923.
The Procession of the Holy Blood, which originates here, is recognized on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The site contains a painting by Bernard van Orley depicting the burial of Christ.
The lower chapel is dedicated to Saint Basil the Great, whose relic was brought from Caesarea to Bruges by Robert II, Count of Flanders.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located in the Burg square of Bruges, housing a vial allegedly containing a cloth stained with the blood of Jesus Christ. The building consists of two distinct levels: the lower Romanesque Chapel of Saint Basil and the upper Gothic-style Chapel of the Holy Blood. The lower chapel dates back to the 12th century, commissioned by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. The upper chapel was reconstructed in the Gothic style during the 16th century and significantly renovated in the 19th century. The relic is brought out for public veneration daily. The site serves as the focal point for the Procession of the Holy Blood, an annual medieval pageant held on Ascension Day. The upper chapel contains a museum displaying the relic's reliquary and other liturgical artifacts. It remains an active place of worship and a significant pilgrimage destination in Flanders.
The ornate, gold-adorned entrance portal on the Burg square and the vaulted interior of the lower chapel.
Visit the small museum adjacent to the upper chapel to see the reliquary close-up.
Check the official schedule to time your visit with the daily relic veneration, as access to the relic is limited during mass.
Use the narrow internal staircase to transition between the Romanesque lower chapel and the ornate upper chapel.
Attempting to photograph the relic during the specific veneration times when cameras are strictly prohibited.
The relic is typically presented for public veneration daily at specific intervals; check local notices for holiday exceptions.
Maintain silence and cover shoulders and knees; remove hats inside the chapels.
