The Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel is one of the oldest domed churches in the Low Countries and Belgium’s most important pilgrimage site. The building was inaugurated in 1627, elevated to basilica in 1922 and has been a protected monument since 1952. The basilica is constructed in the form of a seven star, a symbol for the seven joys and seven sorrows of Mary. The dome is decorated with 298 seven-pointed gold-plated stars. The square tower houses a carillon of 49 bells. On 15 May 2011, during a mass celebration, a Golden Rose donated by Pope Benedict XVI was handed over to the basilica.
