Crypt & Basilica group excursion

City Tour "Onze Vrijheid" - groups

St Hermes' Crypt is undoubtedly the showpiece of the city. Crypts are a typical feature of Romanesque-Gothic architecture; they are used to store the relics of a saint. In the case of Ronse, the relics are those of St Hermes, who was invoked against nervous and mental disorders. St Hermes is depicted as a Roman officer on his horse. There is a life-size equestrian statue of him above the shrine in the the Saint-Hermes Basilica. In the crypt, you get an idea of how pilgrims searching for healing were treated. The 11th century crypt has been renovated and expanded. It has an impressive 32 pillars, making it the largest crypt in Western Europe.

Practical:

• Meet-up: Hoge Mote, De Biesestraat 2
• Duration: 1h30
• Price: €80,00 (guide) + €4,00 entrance per person (residents of Ronse free of charge)
• Distance: ± 1 km
• Maximum 20 visitors per guide
• Partly accessible for the disabled
• Visits to the basilica are always subject to ceremonies