The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica on Burg Square in Bruges, Belgium, housing a relic venerated as the blood of Christ. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for planning your visit.
This guide was last updated in September 2026. The basilica currently opens continuously from 10:00 to 17:15 with no midday closure; some visitor guides elsewhere still describe a lunchtime closure between 12:00 and 14:00, which the official website no longer confirms.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily, 10:00–17:15 (short closure most Januaries for maintenance) |
| Ticket prices | Basilica: free. Museum and Treasury: €5 (adults), free under 12 |
| Address | Burg 13, 8000 Bruges, Belgium |
| Nearest transport/parking | Bruges railway station, 15–20 minute walk or short bus ride; Centrum-Station car park |
| Typical time needed | 20–40 minutes |
The Basilica of the Holy Blood opening hours
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is open every day from 10:00 to 17:15, with no break at lunchtime.
Access to the upper chapel, where the relic is kept, may be briefly restricted during the daily Eucharist at 11:00 and during confession or adoration on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The basilica also closes for a short period in most years during January for maintenance, so it is worth checking the official website before a winter visit.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood ticket prices
Entry to the basilica, covering both the lower and upper chapels, is free of charge, though donations are welcomed.
Visiting the adjoining museum and treasury room costs €5 per adult; children under 12 enter free. The museum displays the 1617 gold and silver shrine used to carry the relic in the annual procession, along with religious paintings and textiles.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the basilica’s official website and last updated in September 2026.
The basilica and its museum are not included in the Musea Brugge Card, Bruges’ official 72-hour museum pass, which instead covers 11 sites such as the Belfry, the Groeninge Museum, Bruges City Hall and the Church of Our Lady.
Why book the Musea Brugge Card?
- 🕒 72 Hours of Exploration: Enjoy three consecutive days of access to Bruges’ cultural treasures, giving you the flexibility to visit each site at your own pace from the moment of first activation.
- 🏛️ 11 Top Museums & Monuments: Gain entry to the city’s most iconic landmarks with a single pass, including the historic City Hall, the Gruuthuse Museum, and the atmospheric St. John’s Hospital.
- 🔔 The Iconic Belfry Tower: Challenge yourself to climb the 366 steps of the medieval Belfort for an unrivaled panoramic view over the “Venice of the North” and its winding canals.
- 🎨 Michelangelo & Flemish Primitives: See world-class art up close, including Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child at the Church of Our Lady and masterpieces by Jan van Eyck at the Groeninge Museum.
- 📲 Instant Digital Access: Skip the ticket lines at individual attractions by simply scanning your mobile voucher, making your journey through this UNESCO World Heritage city seamless and efficient.
How to get to the Basilica of the Holy Blood
The Basilica of the Holy Blood stands on Burg Square, in the heart of Bruges’ historic centre.
From Bruges railway station, it is a 15 to 20 minute walk, or a short journey on bus routes 13 or 14 to the Markt stop, followed by a two-minute walk. Bruges’ compact centre also means most hotels within the old town are within easy walking distance.
5 top experiences to book in Bruges
- 🏰 Discover the most beautiful spots in Bruges on a two hour walking tour.
- 🧇 At a waffle-making workshop, learn how to make Belgian waffles while sampling Belgiuan beers.
- 🍫 Taste the best local delicacies – including chocolates – on a gastronomic tour of Bruges.
- 🚲 On a combo tour, combine a history-packed guided walk with a canal cruise.
- 📷 Get a photography lesson while finding the best angles for pictures on a Bruges photo tour.
Parking at the Basilica of the Holy Blood
Bruges discourages driving into its historic centre, so the most practical option is to park at the Centrum-Station car park beside the railway station and take the connecting bus into town on arrival.
Underground car parks closer to the centre, including Biekorf and Katelijnepoort, are within a 10 to 15 minute walk of Burg Square. A blue parking zone around the centre allows free parking for up to four hours between 09:00 and 18:00.
How long to spend at the Basilica of the Holy Blood
Most visitors spend 20 to 40 minutes at the basilica, including time to view the relic in the upper chapel.
Add 15 to 20 minutes if you also visit the museum and treasury room. Expect a brief queue for the staircase to the upper chapel around midday during the busiest summer months.
Accessibility at the Basilica of the Holy Blood
The lower chapel, at street level, is generally accessible to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
The upper chapel, where the relic is kept, is reached only by a stone staircase built in the 16th century, with no lift available. Visitors who cannot manage stairs should ask staff about their options before attempting the climb.
Inside the Basilica of the Holy Blood: what to see
The lower chapel, dedicated to Saint Basil the Great, is one of the few surviving Romanesque churches in West Flanders, built between 1134 and 1157 for Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders.
The upper chapel holds the relic of the Holy Blood, said to have been brought to Bruges from the Holy Land in the 12th century, though most historians now link its arrival to the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Notre-Dame de Paris holds a comparable relic, the Crown of Thorns, though it is displayed far less often than the Holy Blood.
The relic is presented for veneration every afternoon from 14:00 to 16:00, and on Friday mornings from 10:15 to 11:00.
The upper chapel was rebuilt in Gothic style at the end of the 15th century, then rebuilt again in the 19th century after the original was demolished during the French occupation.
The Renaissance-style external staircase leading to the upper chapel, known as De Steeghere, was built between 1529 and 1533, and rebuilt after damage during the French Revolution.
Every year on Ascension Day, the relic is carried through Bruges in the Procession of the Holy Blood, a UNESCO-recognised event recorded since at least the 13th century.
Practical visitor tips
| Aspect | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit soon after opening at 10:00 to see the relic before tour groups arrive in the late morning. |
| Crowds | The staircase to the upper chapel narrows quickly, so expect brief queues around midday in July and August. |
| Layout | Enter the lower chapel at street level, then take the external staircase to reach the upper chapel and relic. |
| Entry process | No ticket is needed for the basilica; museum tickets are sold at a small desk inside. |
| On-site logistics | Large bags and luggage are best left at your accommodation, since there is no cloakroom on site. |
Frequently asked questions about the Basilica of the Holy Blood
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Basilica of the Holy Blood free to enter? | Yes, the basilica is free; only the adjoining museum and treasury charge an admission fee. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Basilica of the Holy Blood? | No, booking is not required for individual visitors to the basilica or the museum. |
| Is the Basilica of the Holy Blood open on Sundays? | Yes, it opens daily, including Sundays, from 10:00 to 17:15. |
| Is the Basilica of the Holy Blood suitable for children? | Yes, and children under 12 enter the museum free of charge. |
| Are bags allowed inside the Basilica of the Holy Blood? | Small bags are allowed; there is no cloakroom for larger luggage. |
Things to do near the Basilica of the Holy Blood
- Bruges City Hall: A 14th-century Gothic town hall on Burg Square, next to the basilica, with a decorated Gothic Hall open to visitors.
- Belfry of Bruges: A medieval bell tower on the Markt, a five-minute walk away, with 366 steps up to a viewing platform.
- Church of Our Lady: A Gothic church housing Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, about a 10-minute walk from the basilica.
- Groeninge Museum: A museum of Flemish art, including works by Jan van Eyck, roughly 10 minutes’ walk away.
- Markt (Market Square): Bruges’ main square, lined with cafés and gabled buildings, a short walk from Burg Square.
Alternative attractions
Visitors with more time can combine Bruges with several other cathedrals within a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
- St Bavo’s Cathedral, Ghent: Home to the Ghent Altarpiece by the van Eyck brothers, about 35 to 45 minutes from Bruges.
- Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp: Belgium’s largest Gothic cathedral, around an hour to an hour and 15 minutes away, housing paintings by Rubens.
- Our Lady Cathedral, Tournai: A UNESCO-listed Romanesque and Gothic cathedral, roughly 50 to 55 minutes from Bruges.
- St Rumbold’s Cathedral, Mechelen: A Gothic cathedral with a distinctive unfinished tower, about an hour and 15 to 20 minutes away.
- St Martin’s Cathedral, Ypres: A rebuilt Gothic cathedral in a town largely reconstructed after the First World War, under an hour from Bruges.
More Belgium travel
Other Belgium travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Discovering the history of Belgian chocolate in Bruges.
- Plan your visit to the Bruges Historium.
- Ghent attraction guides: The Ghent Belfry, Gravensteen, St Bavo’s Cathedral and Ghent’s Museum of Fine Art.
- Plan your visit to the Bastogne War Museum.
- Everything you need to know before visiting the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres.
