Basilica of the Sacred Heart was built by King Leopold II for the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence. However, it took until 1969 for the construction to be completed. Because with the outbreak of the war, the king and his budget were in financial difficulties.
In fact, King Leopold II wanted to design a building like the Pantheon in Paris on the empty Koekelberg hill, but then he built this church to be dedicated to Jesus.
The basilica is located on the Koekelberg hill in a park called Parc Elisabeth. It is also called the Koekelberg Basilica because of the hill.
With its two slender minarets and 89-meter-high green dome, it can be easily seen from many parts of the city. At 167 meters long, it is the fifth largest church in the world.
Entrance to the basilica is free. You can also go to the roof of the basilica and have a panoramic view of the city. To do this, you need to follow the signs inside the hall and find the entrance to the elevator that leads to the ceiling. However, there is a fee to go up and there is no toll booth in the vicinity.
You can buy the entrance ticket with a credit card. Brussels Card is not valid here. Once upstairs, you can watch the center of Brussels from between two tall towers.
Basilica Of The Sacred Heart opening hours?
Basilica of the Sacred Heart can be visited between 09:00 – 17:00 during the summer season and between 10:00 – 16:00 during the winter season.
How to get to Basilica Of The Sacred Heart?
To get to Basilica of the Sacred Heart, you need to reach the stops at the other end of Elizabeth Park. Metro lines 2 and 6 pass through the Simonis and Elisabeth stops.
It is also pleasant to walk in the park. If you take tram number 10, you will get off at the Bossaert-basilique stop, so the church will be closer to you. If you take the 49 and 87 buses, you have to get off at the Riethuisen stop, which is next to the church.
