Friday, 02-Aug-2024

After skipping the Monument to the Dynasty, I actually found myself running a little bit ahead of schedule… which was grand, since it meant that I was able to stop into the church of our lady of Laeken – the Église Notre-Dame de Laeken.

It was, even from a distance, an absolutely gorgeous building. Sweeping spires and minarets, some stained glass… I had time. I had to check out the inside.

At first, it was every other cathedral ever – just a big ol’ building, with a big ol’ empty space in the middle.

I mean, nothing wrong with big ol’ buildings. They’re pretty and have cool acoustics!


As I walked in, though, I noticed the rear area – a semi-museum, dedicated to Joseph Cardijn, a cardinal dedicated to advancing the cause of young workers in the early 1900s. It was interesting – another glimpse into some of the positive work that churches (or more accurately, their people) have done.

It was interesting, some good reading, and a beautiful and thermally-cool area to rest for a little bit before continuing on the adventure of the day…

Link to Joseph Cardijn = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Cardijn