Brugge , located in western Belgium, is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. From the 11th century onward, Brugge was an international commercial center thanks to its direct access to the sea. The cloth produced in Brugge was of such a high quality that it was exported all over Europe. In the 15th century, the area was ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy and marked a time of great prosperity for Brugge. During this time the arts and banking flourished. Then at the end of the 15th century, the Dukes left Brugge, marking an end to the prosperity. Furthermore, the coastal area silted up, cutting off all access to the sea, and the city all but died. The wealthy merchants moved their businesses to Antwerp, leaving Brugge deserted. Since that time little has changed in the city center, providing a rich view into the past.

In June, 2001, we spent a couple of days in Brugge, walking around town discovering the charms of the city. In the center of the city, there are two squares, the Markt and the Burg. The Burg houses the Information office so is a good place to start. In the Burg is the City Hall (left side of the above picture), Renaissance Hall, and Basilica of the Holy Blood (where it is said a few coagulated drops of Christ’s blood is kept - the basilica is in the right corner of the picture above). The Markt is a big and colorful square, full of sidewalk cafes, small shops and horse carriages, waiting to take you on a tour through the town. The Belfry and Halles is one of most impressive buildings (at right in picture above), along with the Provincial Government Palace, to the left of the Belfry in the picture (you can climb to the top - only 366 steps).

Opposite the palace and Belfry, the other buildings, although much smaller, are no less impressive. It is fantastic to see so many period buildings in such a good state of repair. The area is kept very clean and you’ll notice that even the horses must clean up after themselves (all the carriages have bags to catch the horse droppings). We indulged in a carriage ride through town. It was fun to view the city while relaxing, listening to the clip-clop of the hooves on the cobblestone streets.

There are many canals running through the city, as well as around it which was the main means of transport when the city was built. Today, the canals serve to transport only tourists, but in a grand fashion. There are many boat operators throughout town, so it is not difficult to find one. As you can see in the picture at right, the boats chug along the narrow canals, giving the guests a close-up view of the quaint houses on the canals. Although the canal tours are much more enjoyable during dry weather, many boats carry a supply of sturdy umbrellas, should the weather not cooperate with your plans.

When you are ready for a break from all the walking and sight-seeing, just stop into one of the many cafes and enjoy a real Belgium waffle, as we did. You can get them plain, or with fresh fruit and either whipped cream or ice cream. The waffles are incredibly light and delicious. Also, on your walkabout, be sure to stop in one of the many chocolate shops. They are everywhere and carry the most exquisite pralines (filled chocolate candies), chocolate covered candied fruit, or just plain, delicious chocolate. Yum!

While there are several churches worthy of a visit in town, our choice was Church of our Lady, built in the 13th-15th centuries. It contains an extremely rich art collection, the highlight of which is the white marble ‘Madonna with Child’ by Michelangelo (left). It was carved in Carrara marble in 1504-5. Originally it was intended for an altar in the Cathedral of Sienna but the Mouscran family of Brugge bought it and gave it to the Church of Our Lady. It is one of the few works by Michelangelo outside Italy and it was certainly a treat to view this masterpiece. 

Brugge today remains known as a center for quality tapestry and handmade lace. Be sure to stop in one of the many shops to at least admire the lovely work. Several places have demonstrations of lace-making and it is awesome to think of the time it must take to complete any one of these pieces of art.

Along the main canal to the south we found Minnewater, or Lake of Love, and the surrounding park area. While this was once an inland port and landing stage for barges, assuring a regular transport service between Brugge and Ghent. Nowadays it is a quiet and peaceful canal along side a green and shady park. The residence in the picture above, right now houses a fine restaurant, allowing you to sit along the canal while you enjoy your meal.

The picture at left is Kruispoort (1402), one of the 4 Entrance Gates to the city. Just through the center opening is a draw bridge over the canal which was just closing as we took the picture. We had assumed the canals were only used for tourist purposes now, but judging from the barge that had just come through (right), the canals are still used for commercial transport. Along this canal there are also 4 stilt windmills (so called because they are built on stilts and sit several feet above the ground), one of which is open for visiting.

In the city center, bicycles represent one of the main transport mechanisms and you see them everywhere. There are several shops that rent them for the day or by the hour and there are a couple of organized bicycle tours available. Outside the city center, bicycle lanes parallel all the streets and we found this net (left) to be quite interesting and unique. It is placed beside the bicycle path and is intended to catch aluminum cans used by the cyclists. Neat idea.

On one of our wandering walks, we noticed a familiar looking guy on a “wanted” poster, stuck on a window behind bars. See if you agree with a local’s view. In case you can’t read all the text, it says:

WANTED

George W. Bush

FOR CRIMES AGAINST

HUMANITY AND THE PLANET

Beware if you meet this man!

He suffers from delusions that he is the democratically elected President of the USA. Do not approach him, he is nuclear armed and dangerous. Act responsibly and contact the nearest police station.

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