Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek)

The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek) is a church in Brugge, Belgium that has what is believed to be the blood of Jesus Christ. The basilica was once a chapel built in the 12th century, and it has been added to and rebuilt over the centuries. The lower chapel was built in a Romanesque style and has little decoration. The upper chapel, though originally Romanesque, was rebuilt in a Gothic style with plenty of colors and details. 
Legend has it that Joseph of Arimathea wiped blood from the body of Christ after the crucifixion and preserved the cloth. Supposedly the cloth remained in the Jerusalem until the Second Crusade. At that time, the King of Jerusalem gave the relic to his brother-in-law, Count of Flanders, Diederik van de Elzas. The Count took the relic back to Brugge in April 1150, and had it placed at the chapel he had built on Burg Square. However, research has indicated that the relic actually came to Brugge about 100 years later from Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). The relic is in a rock-crystal vial, and the vial is inside a small glass cylinder capped with a golden crown at each end.

Practical Info

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is located on Burg Square. Opening hours are 9:30am to noon and 2 to 5pm daily except Wednesdays from November 1 to March 31. Admission to the church is free, and the museum is 2 euros.