Religious Building · Ghent, Belgium
St Bavo's Cathedral
An 89-metre-tall Gothic cathedral in Ghent, home of the Ghent Altarpiece. Built c. 1274–1569.
Photo: Liza Knockaert via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Ghent, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | c. 1274–1569 |
| Height | Height: 89 m |
| Coordinates | 51.0530° N, 3.7271° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What St Bavo's Cathedral is known for
An 89-metre-tall Gothic cathedral in Ghent, home of the Ghent Altarpiece.
About St Bavo's Cathedral
Saint Bavo's Cathedral, also known as Sint-Baafs Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Ghent, Belgium. The 89-metre-tall Gothic building is the seat of the Diocese of Ghent and is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent. It contains the well-known Ghent Altarpiece, also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
History
The site was first home to the Chapel of St John the Baptist, consecrated in 942. Construction of the Gothic church began around 1274, and it was expanded during the 14th to 16th centuries. It became a cathedral when the Diocese of Ghent was founded in 1559, and construction was completed on 7 June 1569.
Planning a visit? Visit the official St Bavo's Cathedral website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Ghent |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Wevelgem Airport (KJK) |
| Distance from the airport | 28.1 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark's coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Brussels Airport (BRU) · Zaventem, Belgium · 34.6 miles away
- Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) · Oostende, Belgium · 38.3 miles away
- Lille Airport (LIL) · Lesquin, France · 43.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Belgium
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is St Bavo's Cathedral?
An 89-metre-tall Gothic cathedral in Ghent, home of the Ghent Altarpiece.
Where is St Bavo's Cathedral located?
St Bavo's Cathedral is in Ghent, Belgium. Its coordinates are 51.0530° N, 3.7271° E.
How do I get to St Bavo's Cathedral?
The nearest town is Ghent, and the nearest airport is Wevelgem Airport (KJK), about 28.1 miles away (straight line).
When was St Bavo's Cathedral built?
St Bavo's Cathedral was built c. 1274–1569.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Bavo%27s_Cathedral,_Ghent — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938154 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.sintbaafskathedraal.be/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.