Bruges: a city easy to fall in love with.
Written: Mar 22 '01 (Updated Apr 30 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful, charming, clean and well preserved.
Cons: Lots of tourists in the summer.
The Bottom Line: Bruges: this medieval town in Northern Belgium has perfectly been preserved and offers a charming and romantic getaway.
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| tongareva's Full Review: Bruges |
For a long time I had been willing to write a thorough review about the beautiful medieval city of Bruges in Belgium. Now that I have put some memories back together and gathered some information from our different visits, I feel it is time for me to guide you through one of the most charming and well preserved city I have ever been to.
Having lived in Belgium we used to go to Bruges at least twice a year. Usually for a day-trip, sometimes for the week-end. Most people take day-trips from Brussels to Bruges, but there is so much to see to fill only one day. The best way to visit the place is to spend at least one night in one of the many beautiful and cozy hotels. Later in the evening, when all the tourists have gone, Bruges finds back its charm and quiet of old times. When one is lucky with the weather, a stroll through the tiny medieval streets can be an enchanting experience. Bruges is always beautiful, in the summertime as well as in the wintertime.
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. Today's Bruges has a population of about 50.000 people (120.000 people with the suburbs). These numbers clearly show that Bruges is not a tiny miniature city. It ranks, even today, among the important cities of Belgium. It is also the capital of the Belgian province of West-Flanders.
Bruges is unique, in the sense that the town authorities have done the utmost to preserve the medieval-looking image of the city. Of course, not every stone in Bruges has come to us straight from the Middle-Ages. Nevertheless, the combination of old, not so old and new is just fascinating.
Because of its canals Bruges is often called 'The Venice of the North'. The water situation in both cities was, however, very different. Venice was founded on islands in a lagoon of the Adriatic sea. Bruges lies deeper inland; at least now, because a few centuries B.C the Flemish coastline must have been flooded several times by the North Sea. When the waters retreated they left behind different sea-arms via which ships could reach the area where now Bruges is situated.
In the Middle-Ages, the waterways to Bruges had to be regularly adapted and enlarged to allow large trade ships to reach the city. Already in the 12th century the cargo was mostly brought to the outports of Damme and Sluis, two small medieval towns that still exist today, and are certainly worth a visit while you are in Bruges. I recommend visiting theses two places by bike as they are not far from Bruges. But then, plan to stay one more day in the region.
All through the golden era of Bruges the rivers and canals were constantly dredged. Inside the city the 'Reie' river had been turned into a network of canals that enabled the traders to bring their products to the large Water Halls at the Market. Inside the Water Halls the goods were stored or sold directly. Unfortunately, today the Water Halls do not exist anymore.
Nowadays no commercial ships sail on the canals. They are now exclusively used for tourist boats. The guided boat ride will take you throughout the city center and will last about an hour. Tours are multilingual and are very informative, so I would suggest to start exploring the city with the boat ride.
The most central place is probably the Market square. This was the medieval heart of the city. At least, the commercial medieval heart, because the center of the city administration was found on the nearby 'Burg' square.
The market place (Grote Markt) is free from traffic. It has been completely refurbished and is now one of the most attractive parts of the city. The main monument is the belfry tower. On the Northern side of the Market is the Provincial Court. This was a covered hall where the ships could unload their products for storage in the halls or for direct sale on the adjacent market. Right in the middle of the square the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck can be seen. The other sides of the market are occupied by restaurants and shops located in former private houses as well as in guild houses. On a sunny day, it is always nice to enjoy a Belgian beer on one of the many terraces.
One of the most beautiful buildings of Bruges can be seen on the ‘Burg’ square: the gothic town hall from 1376. It was one of the first monumental town halls in the Low Countries. In the entrance hall a large staircase leads to the so-called Gothic Hall. This hall was decorated with neo-gothic wall paintings that illustrate the most important events in the history of Bruges.
The Burg square is really a showcase of different European architectural styles. Next to the gothic town hall stands the Old Civil Registry in renaissance style. On its left side is another building: the former Court of Justice in neo-classicist style. The former Court of Justice now houses the Tourist Information center of Bruges. Also the Baroque style is represented here. On the left side of the square is the Deanery, the former house of the Deans of the St. Donatius church. It became later a part of the palace of the Bishop of Bruges. Then, finally, tucked away in the corner of the square, next to the town hall, is the Basilius church and the Chapel of the Holy Blood.
The chapel of the Holy Blood was first built in the 12th century and promoted to the rank of Basilica in 1923. One can enter the church on the first floor where the Holy Blood is kept. The silver altar is the place where the relic is preserved during the week. The relic is shown to the public every Friday and every day from the 3rd to the 17th of May. Outside the chapel is the Holy Blood museum, which contains the shrine for the Holy Blood and other treasures belonging to the chapel.
According to recent investigations, the bottle of rock cristal, containing the blood, dates back to the 11th or 12th century. Since its arrival in Bruges it has never been opened. It is almost certain that the bottle was made in the area of Constantinopel (now Istanbul in Turkey) and that it was meant to contain perfume. The Bible never mentioned the fact that Christ's blood was preserved though. The adoration of the relic is at the origin of the internationally famous 'Procession of the Holy Blood' which passes every year on Asuncion day during the month of May through the streets. Locals dressed in historical costumes enact during this procession biblical scenes and re-enact the arrival of the Count of Flanders who brought the Holy relic to Bruges.
On the other side of town, you’ll probably find the Minnewater. 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 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'. Next to the lake is the Minnewater park, where sometimes in the summertime music concerts are organized. One of the symbols of Bruges is the swan. You will always see plenty of them on the 'Minnewater'.
One of the most peaceful place in Bruges is certainly the Beguinage which is located just behind the Minnewater. It is one of those typical areas in Bruges where one can find more peace and quiet than in the sometimes busy and overcrowded streets of the town center. The Beguinage is a group of houses around a little garden covered with large poplar trees. It was here that during the last seven centuries lived the beguines of Bruges. Today, the beguinage has become a monastery for the Benedictine sisters who still live there now.
Visitors enter the place via a bridge over the canal. The entrance gate bears the date 1776. A lot of houses, however, are much older than that. Most date from the 17th and 18th century. Some houses were built in the 19th century in neo-gothic style. In the southern part is a little dead-end street where still some houses of the 15th-16th century can be found. The largest and most impressive house is situated in the left corner behind the garden. The original church of the Beguinage dated from the 13th century and was destroyed by a fire in 1584. It was rebuild in 1609 and later again renovated in late baroque style.
Bruges is also filled with 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.
I definitely recommend a romantic and individual tour in a horse drawn carriage along the canals and over the typical small bridges on the rythm of the horse's trot. The coachdriver explains the city to you, and halfway the trip, the horse is getting a rest at the Beguinage where you can descend. This is the typical way to discover the real Bruges, where you see picturesque corners, several famous museums and most of the historical sites. Departure is always on the market-square in front of the Belfry. You cannot start the tour at the Beguinage.
You can easily find quality accomodations either in the historic medieval center or a bit further in the suburbs. Staying in the center is of course a lot more practical although several good hotels outside the tourist districts are really worth considering. They are cheaper and never further than a short 10-to-15-minute walk from the major attractions.
When we used to go to Bruges for the week-end, we would stay at the hotel Bourgoensche cruyce. It is a four-star hotel full of charm and refinement with a wooden façade. It is ideally situated on the canals in the middle of town and within a few steps from the Belfry. It has a restaurant, known as one of the best gastronomic tables in Flanders. Room rates are very reasonable considering the luxury and the center location. Rates vary from $100 (double standard room) to $150 (double superior room). I know that they have a gastronomic formula including a gastronomical dinner and lunch with a night-stay and breakfast.
It will not be too difficult to find a good restaurant in Bruges. Actually food is always great in Belgium and Bruges, although being one of the most visited city, offers high quality food at reasonable prices. There are no tourist traps, food is not something one messes with in Belgium. Belgians are proud of their country and wouldn’t want tourists to be disappointed, especially with food.
I hope this information will be of some help should you decide to visit Bruges, but feel free to send me an e-mail if you would like to know more. I will be happy to help you organize your trip there.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
tongareva
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Location: Born and raised in Europe, but citizen of the world.
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 9 members
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