The Basilica of the Holy Blood was built in the 12th century as a chapel for the rulers of Flanders. It is the site of a relic that is said to be the Blood of Christ, which was brought back in the 12th century from the Holy Land (during the Second Crusade) by Count Thierry of Flanders of Alsace. Because of the relic, the basilica has been a pilgrimage center for centuries.
