The city is the capital town of West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders) province, and the pride and joy of all Flanders.
Bruges is called : 'the Venice of the North'. This splendid medieval city is one of Belgium's crown jewels. In no other European city the feel and the look of medieval times are so present as here in this city close to the North Sea.
Bruges today is a beautiful, dreamy medieval city famous for its cobbled squares, narrow streets, canals, gabled houses and gothic buildings and of course for its beer, chocolate and lace. It is the ideal place for a romantic weekend break at any time of the year
Location:
Brugge, city in northwestern Belgium, capital of West Flanders Province, near the port of Oostende. Several railroads serve the city, which is also connected by canals to Oostende, Ghent (Gent), and the port of Zeebrugge.
Getting There:
By Car:
Take highway E40 in direction Oostende, exit No. 8: Brugge, then exit at Saint Michiels, go to a roundabout and take direction “centrum”. Do not drive into the tunnel, keep on the right and after passing the square with a fountain on your left, take the 2nd street on the right “Zuidzandstraat” to the market square, then keep on the right and go to “Wollestraat” Cross a little bridge and take “Eeckhoufstraat" 50 meters after, make a right under a narrow arch way.
General Information:
Medieval Gothic architecture is the big deal here. Sure, there's a layer of Romanesque; a touch of Renaissance, baroque, and rococo; a dab of neoclassical and neo-Gothic; and a smidgen of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. But Gothic is what Bruges provides, in quantities that come near to numbing the senses - and likely would do so if it weren't for the distraction of the city's contemporary animation.The unique atmosphere, the winding streets with their Bruges façades and the romantic canals criss-crossing the city, all transport you back to bygone days.
This historic city rightly bears the name "Venice of the North".
Due to its strategic location and port, Bruges used to be the hub of Europe.
Numerous museums and architectural masterpieces bear witness to the way the city's inhabitants used to live during the Middle Ages.
Places to visit:
For most visitors the Minnewater and its lovely park are the entrance to the beautiful city of Bruges. The Minnewater is a canalized lake. From the bridge (1740) one can already enjoy a nice panoramic view over the town. Because of the idyllic surroundings it is mostly referred to as 'the lake of Love', the Dutch word 'Minne' meaning 'love'.
The Market (market square) is a large and spacious cobbled square right in the centre of Bruges and is at the very heart of this medieval city. This is where, in former times, the people of Bruges gathered for weekly open air markets, trade fairs, spectacular medieval jousts, public rallies and to watch public executions. To this day a market is held there every week (now on Wednesdays from 8am to 1pm). The only traffic noise in this fine square is the clattering of bicycles and horse-drawn carriages across the cobbles and it is the perfect place to start your visit to the city.
Not only does the Belfort dominate the Bruges skyline it is also the tallest belfry in Belgium . It rises from the old covered cloth market (Hallen) and has always been a symbol of civic pride and at the heart of civic life. The Belfort was built between the 13 th and 15 th century and was originally used as a treasury for the town charters and money. In medieval times merchants used to meet in the cloth market to buy and sell the lace, cloth and tapestries for which Bruges is so famous.
Famous Monuments:
When approaching Bruges, one can already see from afar the highest tower in the city, the tower of Our Lady's Church. Although this church is not the most important one on the religious level (St Salvator's church is) it certainly attracts most visitors because of its medieval character and the important works of art that can be admired here.
In front of Our Lady's church stands the large complex of the medieval St. John's hospital, one of the oldest still existing hospitals in Europe.
Museums:
The Gruuthuse house and museum is situated behind the Our Lady's church. This impressive city mansion belonged to one of the richest families of the medieval city. It has now been transformed into the archeological city museum of Bruges.
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