The Search
Belgium
AULNE ABBEY
MEROVINGIAN-CAROLINGIAN
By setting and layout, this abbey could as easily be in England or Slovenia – From the quality of the masonry to repeating arches and towers, Celtic preferences abound here.
Bruges, Basilica
now named Basilica of the Holy Blood,
where last Duke of Burgundy lay in state
15th century
Gilded, colorful, finely crafted ceiling, pillars and arches emblematize Celtic style.
Bruges, Cloth Hall museum
15th century
It’s easy to imagine the interior courtyard of this fortified textile market bustling with stands of fine fabrics from all over Europe. Its tall tower can be seen from everywhere, signaling both the importance of the building and the need to keep watch.
Bruges,
Oud Sint-Jan hospital museum
15th century
Canals and building reflect Celtic styles and skills. Triangular facades and decorative door and window treatment as well as the quality of the craft is consistent throughout Europe.
Brussels, Cinquantenaire
Museum of the Royal Museums for Art & History
15th century holdings
La Jeunesse d’Hercule tapestry evidences the importance of the Hercules legend in Celtic culture. This museum contains a loom and substantial collection. Buses run from Old Town out to this area of town.
Brussels, Coudenberg Museum
15th century & earlier
17th century rendering of Coudenberg. High-ceilinged, expansive, and replete with arched, striped doorways, the castle cellars have been excavated from underneath a parking lot and form part of the museum, even though the rest of the building was long-since destroyed.
BRUSSELS, HALLE GATE
15TH CENTURY
City gates in Brussels attest to the severity of the threat faced in 15th century Burgundy, as well as the building expertise. Note the conical slate roof of the towers, the scalloped edgings, detail, balance and elegance of the construction.
Brussels, Royal Library of Belgium
15th century Collection
5 volumes list works belonging to the Dukes of Burgundy collection. The exquisitely crafted Books of Hours of the Duke of Berry and hundreds of illuminated manuscripts shine a light into the beauty of 15th century living before the Hapsburg Empire cast Europe back into the dark feudalistic church state.
Ghent, Gravensteen Museum
15th century & earlier
Canals, towers and triangular facades exhibit Celtic style and skill. Hydrology constituted an important part of the defensive system, as well as connecting with other cities and towns for trade by waterway.
Kortrijk (Courtrais)
Catherine’s Chapel
This portrait of a fallen couple is a detail of one of the 3 walls of panels depicting full-body, full-scale decorated men and women warriors. At the entry to the hall stands a rare sculpture of Charlemagne. Nearby, a statue of Catherine holds an 8-spoked wheel, an invention that is celebrated as a recurring theme across the Celtic world.
Kortrijk (Courtais)
City Hall
Heraldry and intricate wood and stone carving suggest Celtic origin in this exquisite city hall chamber. On the mural, finely-clad women are depicted in active roles with their heads up. The entire beautifully-designed building is open to the public.
Tournai Archaeological Museum
This small gem of a museum contains a mock-up of the burial chamber of Childeric, a 5th century, Frankish, Merovingian leader, that was excavated near Tournai, as well as many artifacts from that era.
Tournai Tapestry Museum
A woman literally holds her tongue while being dragged from her hearth in this tapestry detail. It feels as though these tapestries are still trying to speak to the world.