Scherpenheuvel Basilica

A miraculous image of the Virgin in an oak tree on this hill drew pilgrims from the sixteenth century, and the Archdukes Albert and Isabella built the present church between 1609 and 1627 as the centrepiece of a planned pilgrimage town, laid out on a seven-pointed star plan with radiating streets. The church is an early Baroque domed building, heptagonal in plan with a dome covered in gilded stars, and it was the first major dome in the Low Countries. It remains the largest Marian pilgrimage site in the region, drawing very large numbers particularly on the first Sunday of November and through the summer, when the town fills with candle sellers and processions. The planned town around it survives with its radial streets.

What you actually see

• A seven-sided domed church - the first major dome in the Low Countries.
• The star-plan town - radiating streets laid out around the shrine.
• The gilded star dome - the exterior covering over the crossing.
• Pilgrimage crowds - candle sellers and processions in season.

When to go

April to October for the pilgrimage season; the first Sunday of November is the largest gathering. One to two hours. It closes to visitors during services and processions. Weekdays are quiet.

Honest expectations

It is an active pilgrimage church and behaviour should follow that. Processions and services close it without warning. The town around it is given over to candle and souvenir shops. There is little else to see.

Nearby

Diest is north-east; Averbode Abbey lies north.