Notre-Dame du Sablon

This late-Gothic church in the elegant Sablon district of Brussels grew from a small chapel built by the crossbowmen's guild in the fourteenth century. According to legend, a miraculous statue of the Virgin was brought here by boat from Antwerp, an event still commemorated in local festivities. The interior is celebrated for its tall windows and richly carved chapels, illuminated at night to glowing effect. Surrounded by antique shops and a small landscaped square, it forms the centrepiece of one of the city's most refined quarters.