61. NORTH TRANSEPT WINDOW AND ST MICHAEL

Jean Haeck is credited with producing this North transept window. The window was completed in 1537 and is based on a drawing by Bernard van Orley. It depicts Charles V and his wife Isabelle of Portugal kneeling in front of the Holy Sacrament. They are accompanied by their patron saints Charlemagne and Elisabeth of Hungary. Some repairs are taking place just East of this window, so we return to the crossing. There is a medieval wooden carved statue of the Archangel Michael slaying the dragon at the Northeast corner. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Zairon]

62. TREASURY PAINTINGS

We turn back to the North transept. On the Eastern side is the entry to the Chapel of the (Miracle of the) Holy Sacrament.  There is a small payment to enter, and the small painting of the Chapel shown at left is by the entry. The painting of a procession from the Cathedral shown at right can be seen from the North choir aisle. The story of the Miracle is given in the Plan section of the Index page.

The Cathedral (then church) had been the repository of three of the miraculous bleeding hosts ever since the legendary miracle of Good Friday, 1370. Local devotion to them surged after an epidemic in 1529, which prompted Margaret of Austria to decree that they should be carried in procession through the streets of Brussels each year. The increased veneration and the stream of pilgrims probably contributed to the growing feeling that the chapel in which they were kept was too small. In 1533 it was decided to enlarge it, evidently on the instigation of Charles V. This involved demolishing the radial chapels on the north side of the choir. The building work lasted until 1539, and the new chapel was dedicated on 23 April 1542, long before all the windows had been installed.

63. OVERVIEW OF THE TREASURY

We can get good views of most of the Chapel windows from the North transept and the North choir aisle. Art experts claim that the best windows in the Cathedral are the six that can be found in this Chapel. The first four of these windows were made by Haeck in the 1540s. The fifth was also by Haeck but almost completely restored in the 1840s by Jean-Baptiste Capronnier of Brussels, one of the most admired glass makers of the 19th century. The sixth and final window is all Capronnier. [Photo1 Credit: Uwe Brodrecht ; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia PMRMaeyaert ]

64. TREASURY WINDOWS I

The upper half of all six windows tell the story of the sacramental hosts stolen by Jews on Good Friday in 1370. • The lower half of these windows is again reserved for Charles V and his family and their respective patron saints. The first window is John III of Portugal and his wife Queen Catherine, a sister of Charles V; the second is of Louis of Hungary and his wife Marie, another sister of Charles V; the third is of Francis I of France and his queen Eleanora, a third sister of Charles V. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia PMRMaeyaert ; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia PMRMaeyaert ; Photo3 Credit: Wikimedia PMRMaeyaert ]

65. TREASURY WALL SCULPTURES

The side windows of the Treasury alternate with these long vertical sculptures, and there are further such sculptures on the South side. I can find no description of these. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo3 Credit: Wikimedia Uwe Brodrecht ]

66. TREASURY WINDOWS II

Here are the remaining two Chapel windows.    Following on from #64, the bottom halves of these windows show at left Ferdinand I of Austria, brother of Charles V, and his wife Queen Anne (sister of Louis of Hungary); and at right, Charles V himself with his wife Isabella (sister of John III of Portugal). Charles and Isabella were first cousins.

67. TREASURY

Within the Treasury there are many shrines, paintings, glass display cabinets containing chalices and other precious items, and clerical robes.

68. ENTERING THE EAST AMBULATORY

Leaving the Treasury we come to the ambulatory which arcs around the choir / sanctuary at the East end of the Cathedral.  Due East from the sanctuary is the Maes Chapel, shown here at right in the first photo. The Chapel has a pair of stained wooden doors placed symmetrically on either side: the Northeren pair are shown here. By the doors is a statue of John Ruysbroeck (1293 – 1381). Ruysbroeck was a Flemish mystical writer who greatly influenced mystical teaching in the late Middle Ages and whose name is associated with the religious renewal in the Lowlands that also produced ‘The Imitation of Christ’. He was born near Brussels and was raised by a devout mother who trained him in a life of holiness. [Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Pieter van Everdingen]

69. AMBULATORY NORTH WINDOWS

There are two double-lancet windows above the doors, divided into small panels showing mostly Biblical scenes. The call of Isaiah, Ezekiel and his chariot, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden are stories which can be picked out. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ]

70. INTO THE MAES CHAPEL

Just beyond the double doors we come to the Chapel of St Magdalene, more commonly know as the Maes Chapel. This Chapel, in Baroque style, was inserted in 1672–1675 between the buttresses: it has an octagonal plan, with a dome and lantern (skylight). The name Maes comes from the founder of the Chapel. [Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia cmcmcm1 ]

71. ROUND WINDOWS IN THE MAES CHAPEL

There are three round windows set high up in the cupula of the Maes Chapel. •• The North window shows an angel carrying the crown of thorns, a lance, and a vinegar sponge ona wooden stick – items associated with the Cross. ••    The South window shows an angel with a column, scourge and birch associated with the torture of Christ. •• The East window shows an angel with a cross. Symbols of the Four Evangelists are attached to the extremities of the cross. [Photo1 Credit : Wikiimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo2 Credit : Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo3 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ]

72. MAES CHAPEL ALTAR AND WINDOWS

The Chapel has a superb marble and alabaster altarpiece (1538) by Jan Mone depicting the Passion of Christ.  This is one of the first reredos in stone in the Low countries, all previous examples being carved in wood. •• There are three main windows. The North window depicts the Archangel Michael. A small unidentified figure stands below. • There is a smaller Eastern window above the altar. • The South window shows St Gudula holding a lantern. A small figure of St Laurence holding a griddle stands below. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Diego Delso; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Diego Delso ; [Photo3 Credit: Wikimedia Paul Hermans ; [Photo4 Credit: Wikimedia Diego Delso ]

73. STATUES OUTSIDE THE MAES CHAPEL

Two large but unidentified statues stand at the entrance to the Maes Chapel.

74. VIEW WEST OF MAES CHAPEL

Looking directly West from the Maes Chapel, we see the back of the high altar.  To the left and right are the South and North branches of the ambulatory. It is of interest that the vaulting of this ambulatory is lower than the vaulting of the sanctuary – which we might expect – but also lower than the that of the two side chapels. We shall continue to our left.

75. SOUTHEAST AMBULATORY

This is a view looking back. At our extreme left is the entrance to the Maes Chapel. At centre are the two South doors with windows above – not the doors and windows we examined previously. To the right of these are some items of interest before we come to the large Our Lady of Redemption Chapel glimpsed at our extreme right.

76. AMBULATORY SOUTH WINDOWS

The stained glass windows above this second set of doors are similar to those we looked at previously, with many small Biblical scenes. These include Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ]

77. ST JEAN BAPTISTE DE LA SALLE, AND THE BODY OF JESUS

At left is a statues of St Jean Baptiste de La Salle (1651–1719) , founder of the Christian Brothers and patron saint of teachers. He was canonized by Leo XIII in 1900. De La Salle lived in Reims, about a 2 and a half hour drive (167 miles) south of Brussels. •• At right, the body of Jesus has been taken down from the Cross. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Harmonia Amanda ; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Uwe Brodrecht ]]

78. ALONG TO THE OUR LADY OF REDEMPTION CHAPEL

Leaving these sculptures we walk West down the South choir aisle, with views of the Chapel of Our Lady of Redemption through the decorative separating wrought iron railing. On the way we pass a statue of the Virgin Mary, identifiable as she stands on a crescent moon and has a serpent underfoot.

79. SOUTH CHOIR AISLE LOOKING WEST

A final view back East along the South choir aisle.    The lower vaulting of the choir aisle is clearly visible here.

80. ENTRY TO THE OUR LADY OF REDEMPTION CHAPEL

The entry to the Our Lady of Redemption Chapel is from the South transept.  It has similar dimensions to those of the Treasury on the North side.

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