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| Provincial Hof (Original Provincial Seat of West Flander Government) |
I found Brugge (UNESCO World Heritage Site part) to be remarkably easy to stroll around and marvel at its beauty. Actually it makes you feel like you are walking and living (we stayed in Old Brugge on my second visit) in a fairy tale town that’s straight out of a story book; albeit one set in medieval times. It is a treasure trove of renaissance and gothic architecture. The first known recorded mentions of Brugge or it's many iterations of spelling over the years is in AD 840–875. Brugge in medieval times was well known as a commercial metropolis in the heart of Europe. Detailed information on it's history can be found on the UNESCO site. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/996/
My visits were in early July and mid May; ironically except for a few main tourist attractions in July, neither time was it overrun with tourists (my visits were on weekdays so that may have been a factor). During my two visits, I have walked ~90% of old Brugge and on the second drove some of the newer sections, looking to replace a lost power cord for my Surface Pro that had slipped unknowingly under the car seat (I now have both an European and American version which has come in very handy; life works in mysterious ways).
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| Blind Donkey Alley |
These first couple of pictures combined have a story. I have always found the stories behind a place or site name to be fascinating. Fictional versus reality, they often are both quite interesting and often hilarious. The "Blinde Ezelstraat” (Blind Donkey Alley) in Brugge, like many places in Europe has two stories how this alley got its name. The Bard's tale (I live in a place where Bard's tales are a tradition and are to be enjoyed over a beer or two) is that after the folks from Ghent captured the city in 1382, they started sacking it. At the top of the Belfry of Brugge was a golden dragon which they took as their prize. They loaded the dragon on a cart. When they came to the city's gate, the donkey that was pulling the cart refused to pass through. The story goes that the donkey was born and raised in Brugge and knowing they wanted to take the dragon out of the city, the donkey refused to move any further. So either the robbers blindfolded the donkey or stabbed it in the eyes so it couldn’t see any more. The poor animal didn’t know what was happening and the robbers still got away with their prize. In honor for the donkey's effort in trying to keep the dragon in the city, the street where it came to a stop is named “Blind Donkey Alley”. The dragon resides atop the Belfry of Ghent to this day or some version of it. All bard's tale have a hint of truth to them.
Alas, based on historical documents, there was an inn named “Den Blinden Ezele” (The Blind Donkey) on that alley in 1490. The term ‘Blind donkey’ referred to the brewers' habit of blindfolding donkeys that worked the breweries treadmill, preventing them from becoming dizzy. I prefer the first version myself.
A poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, titled "The Belfry of Bruges," refers to the building's checkered history: "In the market-place of Bruges stands the belfry old and brown; Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilded, still it watches o'er the town".
The Basilica of the Holy Blood houses a relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157 as the chapel for the Count of Flanders, it was promoted to a minor basilica in 1923.
The beautiful Gothic Brugge City Hall was built in 1376, making it is one of the oldest in the Low Countries. It was from this building that the city was governed for more than 600 years. The smaller Renaissance period; The Palace of the Liberty of Brugge was the place from which the surrounding countryside (Brugse Vrije) was governed from the late Middle Ages until 1795. This palace later served as the Old Court House for nearly 200 years.
On my second visit, we ate next to this restaurant and the fish market. Excellent incorporation of art into the restaurant signage. Due to anaphylactic seafood allergies we didn't eat there but I must say I enjoyed their visual advertising.
The Begijnhof (Beguinage) with its white-coloured house fronts and tranquil convent garden was founded in 1245. This area was once the home of the beguines, emancipated lay-women who nevertheless led a pious and celibate life. Today the beguinage is inhabited by nuns of the Order of St. Benedict and several Brugge women who have decided to remain unmarried. https://visit-bruges.be/see/places-interest/beguinage-begijnhof.
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| Belfry of Bruges (Without its dragon) |
The Basilica of the Holy Blood houses a relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157 as the chapel for the Count of Flanders, it was promoted to a minor basilica in 1923.
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| Basilicas of the Holy Blood Burg Square |
The beautiful Gothic Brugge City Hall was built in 1376, making it is one of the oldest in the Low Countries. It was from this building that the city was governed for more than 600 years. The smaller Renaissance period; The Palace of the Liberty of Brugge was the place from which the surrounding countryside (Brugse Vrije) was governed from the late Middle Ages until 1795. This palace later served as the Old Court House for nearly 200 years.
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| Brugse Vrije (The Palace of the Liberty of Bruges 1537) and Stadhuis (City Hall 1376) |
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| Restaurant De Visscherie |
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| Restaurant De Visscherie |
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| Restaurant De Visscherie (My first view of their visual advertising) |
The Begijnhof (Beguinage) with its white-coloured house fronts and tranquil convent garden was founded in 1245. This area was once the home of the beguines, emancipated lay-women who nevertheless led a pious and celibate life. Today the beguinage is inhabited by nuns of the Order of St. Benedict and several Brugge women who have decided to remain unmarried. https://visit-bruges.be/see/places-interest/beguinage-begijnhof.
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| Begijnhofkerk Sint-Elisabeth 1245 (St. Elizabeth Church) |
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| Entrance to Begijnhof (Beguinage) |
Another beautiful Bard's Tale from Brugge is about Minnewater Park. Minna was in love with Stromberg, a warrior of a neighbouring tribe and her father forbid this liaison. He arranged for her to marry a man of his choice. Minna ran away and when Stromberg finally found her, she died in his arms of exhaustion. The lake was named after Minna and the bridge by the lake was named the bridge of love, in her honour. This area is worth a walk but for photographer's it is a must.
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| Sashuis (historic locksmith house situated upon the canal entrance to Minnewater in Brugge) Originally built around 1519 and reconstructed in 1895-96 |
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| de la Faille Castle (1893) Minnewater Park |
This gate is located on the old road to Ghent. The current version was built in the beginning of the 15th century on the same location of a previous gate that was erected at the end of the 13th century. (https://visit-bruges.be/see/places-interest/bruges-city-ramparts-and-town-gates.
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| Gentpoort (Ghent Gate from early 1400's) One of the four medieval town gates |
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| Kruispoort (Cross Gate built 1401) hiding behind the trees. Best-preserved of Brugge's remaining gates |
The following are some buildings in the UNESCO portion of Brugge.
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| The Chocolate Crown Store with Homemade Belgian Chocolates |
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| Buildings backing on to the Groenerei Canal Across the canal from the Frank Van Acker Statue |
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| Horse drawn carriage along Breidelstraat |
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| Horse drawn carriage along Breidelstraat |
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| Major Seminary in Brugge (Grootseminarie) Formerly used as the seminary for the diocesan priesthood; located on the Potterierei in Brugge. Currently houses a branch of the United Nations University which is associated with the College of Europe. |
The Poortersloge (The Burghers' Lodge) was built at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century in the commercial heart of Brugge (in the Jan van Eyck square). Basically the ancient commercial section of Brugge where trade occurred with ships loading and unloading. This area was essentially the customs area where goods had to cleared and taxes were levied.
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| Poortersloge (The Burghers' Lodge) Jan van Eyck Square |
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| Schietbaan Lookout Tower |
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| Sint-Janshospitaal (St. John's Hospital) Medieval hospital in Brugge, founded mid-12th century and was in use to mid 1978 Currently a museum of medical artefacts and 6 paintings by Hans Memling (1430–1493). |
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| View of the Steeple of the Church of Our Lady (Built between 13-15th century) and St. John's Hospital. |
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| Sint-Janshuismolen (St. John's House Mill) 1770 The only 1 of the 4 mills in Brugge that is still operational grinding flour and open to visitors from June through September |
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| View of Sint-Walburgakerk (St. Walburga Church) built 1619-1641 |
While out walking in Brugge we came upon across this unique building. Turns out this beautiful building is the guild house of Saint Sebastian’s longbow Archers (The Main Royal Guild of St Sebastian of Brugge), one of the city’s oldest militias that has been in existence for over 600 years. The members of this longbow guild are exclusively male, with two notable exceptions: Queen Mathilde of Belgium and the Queen of England. It was founded in Brugge around 1375, housed since 1573 in the building pictured below (called the Lombaertsheester or Lombaert shrub in English). More information on the guild's history (an interesting read) can be found at this website: https://www.sebastiaansgilde.be/.
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| St Sebastiaan (Main Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian) Guild house of archers |
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| St. Sebastiaan ( Main Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian) |
The following websites provide additional information on Brugge, Belgium:
http://www.xplorengo.com/eng/europe/Belgium/westflanders/bruges.htm
https://www.visitbruges.be/
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/996/
https://www.amazingbelgium.be/
