Savvy Sightseer - tips and insights for seasoned travelers!
Canals weave through the town, past all the historic sights. A magnificent view of the almost 400-foot tall spire of the Church of Our Lady
Contradicting stories from two cities about the Golden Dragon atop Ghent's Belfort
Bruges turns an old curse into new life for the city.
Side, canal entrances for contagious patients. The hospital, one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe, serves as a museum today.
Bruges - Timeless and Charming
Bruges is loaded with architectural and scenic eye candy: stunning and peaceful reflective canals, a towering Belfry, majestic town hall, cobbled streets and exquisite churches beg for alternative ways to say quaint and beautiful.
Once one of the most important cities in Europe, home base for the Burgundy empire and a burgeoning textile industry, Bruges rode the crest of a wave of prosperity until the 16th century when the tide took a deadly turn. Heavy taxation and political turmoil led to unrest. Nobility turned against the little town, moving their court to Ghent and turning over lucrative trading privileges to Antwerp, initiating Bruges’ decline. It was further hastened along by the silting up of its main river and trade lifeline. For centuries the impoverished town could make few changes and updates – bad news at the time, but the basis of its popularity today. As word of the quaint town, preserved in the Middle Ages, spread in the 19th century, tourists took an interest and Bruges was back on the map.
Anyone who has seen The Monuments Men and Hugh Bonneville’s fatal efforts to save Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child statue from being stolen at Bruges’ Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) will be in for a major surprise when entering the church. Hollywood created an entirely different interior than the striking reality. Michelangelo’s masterpiece sculpture, the only one to ever leave Italy during his lifetime, overlooks the tomb of the wealthy Flemish merchant who purchased it back in the early 1500s.
The Madonna isn’t the only notable work of art in this church, though. An intricate and masterfully carved pulpit, designed by Bruges resident Jan Garemijn qualifies as another. Its sides are decorated with scenes from gospels and the embodiment of wisdom. The church also was the scene of the royal marriage of King Maximillian I of Austria and Mary of Burgundy. The sarcophagi of young Mary and her father, Charles the Bold, lie in state in the church’s choir section.
Nearby is a memorial to Pieter Lanchals, Maximillian’s advisor. With the tragic death of his young wife, the Burgundy fortunes went to widower Maximillian and Bruges became a part of the Austrian Hapsburg empire. He ultimately clashed with townspeople, who at one point imprisoned him and executed Lanchals in front of him. Once released, Maximillian’s rath rained down on Bruges along with a curse – the town must forever keep long necks, or swans, on their canals forever in remembrance of Lanchals – whose name roughly translated means long neck. No longer considered a curse, the graceful swans are considered a trademark part of Bruges’ charming look.
When they’re not cruising the canals, the swans have a favorite perch near the Begijnhof, a convent-like enclosure of solitude and reflection. Originally the residence of single, religious women, a convent of Benedictine nuns now is housed there. A walk through the gardens is a serene departure from the town’s bustling streets. Likewise gliding along on a canal boat is a relaxing way to take in the splendor of picturesque Bruges.
Click on these video links to join the graceful swans (above) or travel Bruges' canals (below).
Suggestion - mute your sound option so you don't need to hear the commentary in multiple languages!
Michelangelo's sculpture in Bruges
Close up of the famous Michelangelo sculpture
A mastery of carving
Sarcophagi of the last of the Burgundy reign
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The Belfry or Belfort once was the city's treasury as well as meeting place.
Symbol of the ancient order of knighthood, founded in 1430 by King Philip in honor of his wife. The name was part in recognition of Bruges' wool industry; rumors abound for other interpretations. Membership was and still is very exclusive.
The Holy Blood relic is in a rock-crystal vial inside a glass cylinder capped with a golden crown at each end. It's kept in an ornate silver tabernacle.
The Belfry or Belfort once was the city's treasury as well as meeting place.
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Markt and Burg Squares were once the heartbeat of commerce during Bruges’ Golden Days. The Bell Tower or Belfort, an intended intimidating symbol of Bruges’ importance, towers 275 feet over Markt Square. Its 47-bell carillon chimes out across the city. Before silting up, the canal ran through the 13th century complex of halls here, which served as a warehouse and a market hall. Dominating Markt Square is a sculpture of a pair of unlikely heroes - a butcher and weaver who led a successful revolt against their French occupiers.
A few steps over is Burg Square, ringed by a series of architecturally impressive buildings, but the real stand-out is the small, unassuming Basilica of the Holy Blood in the corner between town hall and a chocolate shop. Tucked away inside the little basilica is a vial believed to hold a scrap of material bearing some of the blood of Christ. The relic is taken out once a year on Ascension Day and paraded around town by the Bishop just as has been done since the late 1200s.
NEARBY: Damme
Damme was once a bustling city along the Zwin Canal between the North Sea and Bruges. Its fortunes were closely tied to Bruges’ and it had the important designation of having a Staple Right – basically tax collection on all goods passing through. When the Zwin silted up, eliminating easy access to the North Sea, both towns shrunk in status. Tagging along with Bruges again, it’s seeing an increase in tourism. Only 5 miles away by canal or easy bike ride, Damme is experiencing a boon as tourists find alternative accommodations and fine eating in the quieter, less crowded town.
An easy cruise to Bruges
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Ornate guild houses front Ghent's Leie.
On the left, St. Nicholas Church, in the middle towers the Belfry and to the right is St. Bavo's, where the famous and sought after Ghent Altarpiece, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is found
NEARBY: Ghent
While Bruges and Brussels are Belgium’s heavyweights today in terms of tourism, Ghent is no slouch in the quaint and charming department. The town sits midway between Bruges and Brussels both geographically and philosophically; it’s a mix of Bruges’ charm and Brussels’ urbanness. With several museums, a 12th century fortress, gabled guild houses, a world famous painting housed in its St. Bavo's Cathedral and Europe’s largest pedestrian zone, Ghent is a great place to spend an afternoon.
Like Bruges, for hundreds of years Ghent grew in prosperity and power. By the 13th century it was one of the largest towns in northern Europe, owing largely to its textile industry. Its high-end cloth products were in demand throughout Europe, making the town enormously wealthy. When the highest judicial body in the county moved from Bruges to the Castle of the Counts in Ghent in the 15th century, it enjoyed a time of power and prosperity. But like Bruges, Ghent ultimately faced a losing battle both politically and environmentally – the death knell came when the Scheldt River, its primary cargo avenue, silted up and they lost the direct trade route.
Unlike Bruges, though, Ghent embraced modernization and it eventually became Europe’s first industrial center. The Guild Houses in Ghent along the Graslei are a reminder of the importance of its trade unions. Fortunately for tourists, Ghent’s historical center is well-preserved and chock full of medieval buildings and legend. Ghent even played an important role in United States' history – it was here that the treaty between Britain and the US was signed, ending the War of 1812.
Bruges' loss was Ghent's gain when royalty moved their main residence.
Neptune keeps watch over the rivers Scheldt (male) and the Leie (female).
