A few words about Bruges

Praised as Venice of the North, Bruges (Brugge) is one of the most attractive tourist sites in Belgium. It is a small town with a population of about 120,000, and a delightful Medieval atmosphere.

The town was probably founded by Vikings in the 9th century. Its name may be related to brygga, a Scandinavian word meaning a mooring place. Bruges was connected with the North Sea by a sea-arm called Zwin, and it prospered as an international port. When the Zwin began to silt up and the ships could no longer sail to the town, two outposts were created at Sluis and Damme. Traders from near and far came to Bruges to buy Flemish cloth, a high-quality woollen material produced in other Flemish cities. The town saw its peak as a trading and financial centre in the 13th-14th century, but went into decline in the 15th century with a crisis in the textile industry and the competition of other harbours. For a while, the crisis was not visible, construction continued and the Flemish painting school whose illustrious representatives were Van Eyck and Hans Memling flourished. By the late 16th century, however, Bruges was the poorest town in Belgium. It was only revived by tourism in the 20th century. The nearby harbour of Zeebrugge also fostered economic development in the area.

Bruges holds many attractions for its visitors. The Reie, the river which flowed through Bruges, was turned into a network of canals in the Middle Ages to allow merchant ships to take their goods to the Market. It was because of these canals that Bruges was referred to as Venice of the North. Today they are only used by tourist boats. Minnewater is a park with a beautiful lake spanned by a bridge. Swans can often be seen on the canals and the lake.

The Belfry tower in the Market square is probably the best known building in Bruges. The original cloth hall where trade in cloth took place and the tower were built in 1240 but were destroyed by fire soon afterwords and subsequently rebuilt in stages, seeing two more fires in 1493 and 1741. If you climb the 366 steps to the top of the tower, you will be rewarded with the best panoramic view of Bruges. The carillion consisting of 47 bells is frequently used for concerts.

The Market Square dominated by the Belfry was the Medieval commercial heart of the town. The Provincial Court now stands in the place of the Medieval 'water-halls' where merchants would unload there goods and sell them on the market. First built in Classicist style, in the late 19th c. the building was reconstructed in Neo-Gothic style that was believed to better fit the general architectural milieu.

The St. Saviour's Cathedral was the oldest parish church in Bruges (12th c.), promoted to a cathedral in the 19th century. It is dominated by a massive tower. Inside, there are fine tapestries and paintings, and a beautifully carved choir.

Of the many museums, three are not to be missed: the Chocolate Museum, the Diamond Museum and the Lace Museum. The Chocolate Museum tells the story of the arrival of the chocolate drink from Mexico and of the making of all sorts of chocolate treats, truffes, figures and bars. It is a wonderful place for children. Diamonds played an important role on Belgium's export, and Bruges was a major centre of the diamond trade. In the Lace Museum, demonstrations of lace making are given, and materials and fine laces can be purchased.

The Chapel of the Holy Blood contains a relic of great significance to Christians: a flask of rock crystal believed to contain Christ's blood. Other remarkable buildings in Buges include the Beguinage, Our Lady's Church (where you can see Michelangelo's famous Madonna with child), Jerusalem Church and St. John's Hospital.