Basilica of Koekelberg

The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart was begun in 1905 to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of Belgian independence, originally planned as a neo-Gothic building, redesigned in Art Deco after the First World War and finished only in 1970, which gives it a long and visible construction history. It is among the largest church buildings in the world by floor area, in brick and reinforced concrete with a green copper dome rising about ninety metres, and the interior is a vast open space with stained glass in strong blocks of colour. A lift and walkway run round the base of the dome at fifty-three metres, giving a panorama over the whole of Brussels and, on clear days, well beyond. Parts of the building house a theatre, a restaurant and museums.

What you actually see

• A ninety-metre Art Deco dome - green copper over the crossing.
• The panorama walkway - a circuit round the dome at fifty-three metres.
• Block-colour stained glass - the strong glazing of the interior.
• Sixty-five years of construction - the styles changing through the build.

When to go

Year round. Two hours including the panorama. Clear days for the view, which reaches a long way over the flat country. Panorama hours are shorter than the church's.

Honest expectations

It is a long way from the centre and the walk from the metro is dull. The interior is enormous and cold and some find it charmless. The panorama is separately ticketed with limited hours. Parts of the building are let to unrelated uses.

Nearby

Elisabeth Park is at the door; central Brussels is a metro ride east.