Worth seeing are a.o. the precious stained glass windows and the mausoleums of the church founders (Anselmus Adornes and his spouse). Nextdoors is the Lace Centre housed in the tastefully restored almshouses founded by the Adornes family.
The Jerusalem Church is odd in that it remains intact in its original form from the 15th century when the Adorni family, merchants from Genoa, Italy settled in the area and built it and it remains privately owned by their descendants till this day. Copied from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem it is a morbid experience resplendent with a faux tomb of Christ as well as the original owners’ personal and quite ornate burial site. Ornate stained glass windows from the late 1400s make it well worth the pleasant walk out there.

The Jerusalem Church was built in the 15th century according to the plans of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Inside the church are the mausoleums of Anselmus Adornes (born in Bruges 1424) and his wife Margaretha vander Banck.

The church has a simple brique facade with a central entrance under apointed arch. There are two lancets with tracery in this facade.

Above the choir there is a special octogonal tower.The above building is flanced by four polygonal turrets. As upperpart above the tower there is a remarquable galery. There is a wooden upperconstruction above the tower, with there above a globe, which symbolises the world. The occidental looking upperconstruction is in contrast with the late gothic elements of the rest of the church.

There are two stairs leading from the little nave to the higher choir, which is separated form the neve with an open worked separation and two oak wooden little doors that could be dated from 1484.

There is a crypt under the choir. In this crypt there is an immitation of the grave of Christ.The devotion to the Holy Grave is also to be recognised in the other ornaments in the chappel such as the altar in de nave. This together with the strange looking tower could indicate that the Adornes family wanted to copy the Holy Grave of Jerusalem. The chapel thanks its name to this. This will allways be an hypothese as the original Holy Grave was devastated by fire in the 16 th century and there are no iconoclastic sources found.

The Adornes estate is still owned by the family today.

The Count and Countess Maximilien de Limburg Stirum, now the seventeenth generation of the Adornes family, are consequently thoroughly dedicated to preserving this unique piece of Bruges heritage. They are also opening the estate to visitors, whom they wish to offer a fine historical and cultural experience, with particular attention to the intimate family nature of the place.

Almshouses

In the almshouses you can learn about the life of the businessman, diplomat and knight Anselm Adornes in a film and an exhibition.

Adornes and the people of Bruges

It’s hard to imagine Bruges without the Adornes estate. For almost 600 years it has been part of the lives of the city’s people. The estate is now also open for socio-cultural projects.

Tea with the family.

The Adornes family has always been very hospitable, and they are delighted to continue this tradition today. They do all they can to receive their guests in the most agreeable circumstances. For this reason they invite you to take refreshment in their ‘Scottish Lounge’ with its view of the garden, where you can reflect on your visit.

Contact & Information

phone +32 (0)50 33 88 83
website http://www.adornes.org
OPENING TIMES Adornes Museum, Jerusalem Chapel and shop

Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm
Closed on Sundays and holidays

All photos © M. Willems for visit-bruges.be