Video of the flight over the monuments of Bruges in HD format.
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Bruges, and Belgium as a whole, are unthinkable without their iconic architectural structures. Belfort, St. Salvator's Cathedral, St. Anne's Church, Church of the Sacred Heart, Gate of the Holy Cross, Stadtschauburg City Theater, and Christ the Savior Cathedral today define the historical and architectural face of Bruges. Let's take a closer look at them from a non-trivial angle - just fly over them! The adjacent video sequence offers a survey of all the mentioned architectural monuments of Bruges in HD format. Below, we will supplement this angle with the most interesting historical facts for each structure. An overview map of all the iconic monuments in Bruges is attached at the bottom of the page.
Belfort, Bruges
»Belfort is a watchtower built in 1240. The tower served as the main observation post, from the height of which the enemy could be seen from afar.
"The tower is 83 meters high.
»The tower is one of the symbols of modern Bruges.
»On the ground floor of the building is the Museum of Archeology, which contains historical relics and art objects. The tower also contains art Gallery and an observation deck.
»Belfort is also a bell tower with 47 bells, the largest of which is named after Mary and was cast in the 17th century.
Cathedral of Saint Salvator, Bruges
»The Cathedral of St. Salvator or Cathedral of the Holy Savior is located on the site of the first church founded in the 9th century. And over the course of many centuries, the buildings were completed and rebuilt several times.
»The status of the Cathedral was given to the church in 1834, when Belgium gained independence.
»The rich interior decoration of the cathedral is somewhat discordant with the modest appearance. Many ancient relics and art objects are preserved within its walls.
»Some of them were transferred from the church of St. Donatius. These are old tapestries, woven in 1730 at a weaving factory in Brussels by order of Bishop Van Sousterin.
»The benches on which the coats of arms of the Knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece are carved are of lively interest. This order was established in 1430. It included many European rulers.
»Among the ancient relics are paintings by medieval artists, a silver shrine with the relics of St. Donatian (1700), a memorial plate of Princess Gunilda (1087), organ created by the master Jacob van Jande in 1717. The entrance to the cathedral is free, and the treasury is paid.
Bruges (Belgium) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and quite rightly belongs to the most beautiful and picturesque cities in Europe. It is difficult to single out individual attractions in this city, because all of it can be called one continuous attraction. Every day, intending to see the most interesting sights in Bruges, about 10,000 tourists from Belgium and other countries come here - this is a very large figure considering that the local population is only 45,000 people.
What you can see in Bruges in one day
Since the most important historical and cultural sights of Bruges are located close to each other, if there is not enough time to explore them, you can allocate only one day. It will be much more convenient if you compose in advance optimal route movement - the map of Bruges with sights in Russian can help with this.
By the way, for 17-20 € (the amount depends on whether the hotel offers a discount - you need to ask for it upon check-in), you can buy a Bruges Museum Card. This card is valid for three days, and she works in most of the attractions in Bruges, which will be discussed later.
For about seven hundred years, the Grote Markt in Bruges has been the center of the city and its main square. To this day, market pavilions stand here and attract buyers, thanks to which it got its name "Market Square". Beautiful historical buildings located around the square and simply colorful houses, numerous souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes - all this attracts tourists who come here not only from all over Belgium, but also from all over the world.
All year round, day and night, the square has its own bright and interesting life. Here you can order a portrait from a wandering artist, listen to the play of street musicians, watch the performance of dance groups from different countries planets.
Before Christmas, a large outdoor skating rink is set up at the Grote Markt - everyone can visit it for free, you just need to take your skates with you.
It is from here, from the famous far beyond the borders of Belgium Market square, most of the excursions begin, during which the guides offer to explore the most famous sights of Bruges in one day.
Belfort Tower (Belfry) with a bell tower
The first thing that attracts the attention of tourists who find themselves on the Grote Markt is the Belfort Tower, which is considered a historical and architectural symbol of the city of Bruges.
This building, reaching a height of 83 meters, has an interesting architectural solution: its lower level in cross-section is a square, and the upper one is a polygon.
Inside the tower is a narrow spiral staircase of 366 steps, ascending to a small observation deck and to a gallery with a bell. It will take a lot of time to visit the observation deck: firstly, the ascent and descent along the narrow stairs cannot be fast; secondly, the turnstiles work according to the principle: “one visitor left - one comes in”.
But on the other hand, those tourists who nevertheless climb to the observation deck of the tower can look at Bruges and its environs from a bird's eye view. The view that opens up literally takes your breath away, however, you need to choose the right day for this - no clouds, sunny!
By the way, the best way to get up is to get upstairs by 15 minutes before any hour of the day - then you can not only hear bell ringing, but also to see how the musical mechanism works, and how hammers are knocking on the bells. There are 47 bells in the bell tower of Belfort. Mary is the largest and oldest, it was cast in the distant 17th century.
Visit the tower Belfort and you can view Bruges from its height on any day from 9:30 to 17:00 by paying for entrance 10 €.
Town Hall (Stadhuis)
Burg square From the Belfort tower there is a narrow street, passing along which you can go to the second city square - Burg Square. In its beauty and tourist traffic, it is in no way inferior to the Market, and there is something to see in Bruges in one day.
On Burg Square, the building of the City Hall looks especially elegant, in which the City Council of Bruges is located. This building, built in the 15th century, is a worthy example of Flemish Gothic: light facades, openwork windows, small turrets on the roof, luxurious decor and ornament. The town hall looks so impressive that it could decorate not only a small town, but also the capital of Belgium.
In 1895-1895, during the restoration, Small and Great Hall The municipality was merged into the Gothic Hall - there are now meetings of the city council, marriages are registered. The Town Hall is open to tourists.
This building also houses the Bruges City Museum.
Basilica of the Holy Blood
Burg Square On the Burg Square there is a religious building, known not only in Bruges, but throughout Belgium - this is the Church of the Holy Blood of Christ. The church received this name due to the fact that it contains an important relic for Christians: a piece of cloth with which Joseph of Arimathea wiped blood from the body of Jesus.
Interesting enough is architectural design structures: the lower chapel has a strict and heavy Romanesque style, and the upper one is made in an airy Gothic style.
Before visiting this shrine, it is advisable to find in advance information about where and what is located inside the building. In this case, it will be much easier to navigate and it will be possible to see many interesting details.
Every day, at exactly 11:30 am, the priests take out a piece of tissue containing the blood of Jesus, placed in a beautiful glass capsule. Anyone can come up and touch her, pray, or just watch.
Entrance to the basilica is free, but photography is prohibited inside.
Time to visit: Sunday and Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
De Halve Maan Brewery Museum
There are such unique museums and sights of Bruges, which will be not only interesting, but also delicious! For example, the operating brewery De Halve Maan. For many centuries, since 1564, it has invariably been located in historic center the city on Walplein Square, 26. Inside there are several restaurant halls, a closed courtyard with tables, as well as a beer museum building with an observation deck on the roof.
The tour lasts 45 minutes and is in English, French or Dutch. Entrance ticket costs about 10 €, and this price includes beer tasting - by the way, beer in Belgium is peculiar, but very tasty.
Excursions to De Halve Maan are held according to the following schedule:
- in April - October from Monday to Friday and Sunday every hour from 11:00 to 16:00, on Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00;
- in November - March from Monday to Friday at 11:00 and at 15:00, on Saturday and Sunday every hour from 11:00 to 16:00;
- the museum is closed on the following days: December 24 and 25, as well as January 1.
In Bruges, Belgium, sights related to brewing are not an isolated incident. In the city center, at Kartuizerinnenstraat 6, there is another active brewery - Bourgogne des Flandres.
Here they allow to watch the process of brewing beer, conduct an interesting interactive excursion. There are audio guides in different languages, in particular in Russian.
At the exit there is nice bar, in which, after the end of the excursion, adult visitors are offered a glass of beer (the price is included in the ticket price).
At the end of the excursion, everyone can get an original souvenir reminiscent of Belgium and its delicious beer. To do this, you need to scan your ticket and take a picture. After the payment in the amount of € 10 is made at the checkout, the photo will be printed as a label and stuck on the 0.75 Burgun bottle. A wonderful souvenir from Belgium!
Adult ticket will cost 10 €, for child – 7 €.
For tourist visits brewery the company is open every day of the week, except Monday, from 10:00 to 18:00.
Minnewater Lake
Lake Minneother is a surprisingly pretty and incredibly romantic spot in Minnewaterpark. Everyone who comes here for a walk is immediately greeted by snow-white swans - a whole flock of 40 birds lives here. The inhabitants of Bruges consider swans to be the symbol of their city; many local legends and traditions are associated with these representatives of birds.
It is best to visit the park and the lake in the early morning, when there is still not a large influx of tourists. At this time, here you can take a photo with a description in memory of Bruges and the sights - the photographs are very picturesque, like postcards.
Beguinage
Not far from the central part of the city (from the Market Square you can take a carriage, or you can walk on foot) there is a quiet and cozy place - Beguinage, a noble house-refuge of beguines.
To get to the Beguinage area, you need to cross a small bridge. Behind it there is a small chapel on the north side and a large one on the south, and between the chapels there are quiet streets with small white houses decorated with red roofs. There is also a modest park with huge old trees. The whole complex is surrounded by canals, in the waters of which swans and ducks constantly swim.
At present, all the buildings of the Beguinage are placed at the disposal of the nunnery of the Order of St. Benedict.
The territory is closed for tourists at 18:30.
What else can you see in Bruges in one day, if time permits
Of course, having arrived in Bruges, you want to see as many of the sights of this ancient city... And if in one day you managed to see everything recommended above, and at the same time there is still time left, in Bruges there is always where to go and what to see.
So, what else to see in Bruges, if time permits? Although, perhaps it makes sense to stay here for another day or two?
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Groeninge Museum (Groeningemuseum)
On Dijver 12, near the famous Bonifacius Bridge in Bruges, there is the Gröninge Museum, founded in 1930. Tourists, for whom “painting” is not just a word, should definitely go there and see the presented collections. The museum contains many examples of Flemish painting dating from the XIV century, and especially the XV-XVII centuries. There are also works of Belgian fine art dating from the 18th-20th centuries.
Museum works Gröninge every day of the week, except Mondays, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. The ticket costs 8 €.
Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk)
There are sights in the city of Bruges that make it famous not only in Belgium, but all over the world. We are talking about the Church of Our Lady, located on the Mariastraat.
In the architecture of this building, features of the Gothic and Romanesque styles are harmoniously mixed. The bell tower, which literally rests against the sky with its top, makes the building especially impressive - this is not surprising at a height of 122 meters.
But the famous Church of Our Lady is made by Michelangelo's sculpture "Virgin Mary and Child" located on its territory. This is the only statue of Michelangelo, taken out of Italy during the lifetime of the Master. The sculpture is located quite far away, moreover, it is covered with glass, and it is most convenient to look at it from the side.
Entrance to the Church of Our Lady in Bruges is free. Nevertheless, to go up to the altar, admire the beautiful interior decoration, and also see the famous creation of Michelangelo, all tourists over 11 years old need to buy a ticket for 4 €.
Go inside the church The Mother of God and you can see the statue of the Virgin Mary from 9:30 to 17:00.
St. John's Hospital (Sint-Janshospitaal)
St. John's Hospital is located near the Cathedral of Our Lady, at Mariastraat, 38. This hospital is considered the oldest in all of Europe: it was opened in the 12th century, and it worked until the middle of the 20th century. Now it houses a museum, and there are several thematic halls.
On the ground floor, there is an exposition telling about the healing of the 17th century. Here you can look at the first ambulance car, visit the premises of an old pharmacy with portraits of its owners hung on the walls. The museum has a collection of accessories for a pharmacy and hospital of that time, and most of of these medical instruments instills real horror in modern man. Nevertheless, this part The museum is one of the places of great interest for those interested in the Middle Ages.
Six of the most iconic works are on the same floor. famous artist Belgium Jan Memling, who lived in Bruges.
On the second floor, an exhibition called "Bruegel's Witches" is periodically held, which tells about how the image of a witch has changed over time in Western European art. Here, if you wish, you can make original 3-d photographs in witch costumes, and there are also children's sizes - there will be something to see in Bruges with children!
Museum in the former hospital of St. John open to visitors Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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Walking around Bruges, examining its various sights, one should not forget that there are beautiful cozy parks here. In Koningin Astridpark, it will be great to relax on comfortable benches, admire old tall trees, observe the ubiquitous ducks and swans, and look at a pond with a sculpture. And also - to remember the well-known film "Lying on the Bottom in Bruges", some scenes of which were filmed in this city park.
Windmills
There is on the eastern outskirts of Bruges, in Kruisvest, a wonderful place where you can take a break from the landscapes almost in a rural idyll medieval town... A river, the absence of cars and crowds of people, a landscape with mills, a natural hill from which you can admire the same Bruges from afar. Of the four mills standing here, two are operational, and one can be viewed from the inside.
And there is no need to be afraid that it is far to get to the mills! You need to go from the city center to northeast direction, and the road will take only 15-20 minutes. On the way from Bruges, sights will be met literally at every step: ancient buildings, churches. You just need to be careful not to miss a single detail and read the signs on old buildings. There are also several beer bars on the way to the mills that are not listed on the tourist maps cities - only local residents visit them.
Bruges can be safely called a museum under open air... The city is simply permeated with antiquity and the Middle Ages, and I think everyone will find for themselves what to see in Bruges specifically for him. I just want to write our emotions about visiting this wonderful town.
What to see in Bruges. Introduction
The market square in Bruges is the center of the old town and I advise you to look for a hotel as close to it as possible. Although, in principle, Bruges is a very small town. You can walk from the outskirts of the old town to the other outskirts in 25-30 minutes. We didn't have a specific plan of what to see in Bruges. And he is not needed. You just need to walk around Bruges ... by its originality, I would probably compare it with. Cities and cultures are completely different, but both are very atmospheric places.
just a street in Bruges
Unfortunately Bruges is a very touristy city. In the photo above, you can see how many people wander around and take pictures of literally every house. That is why, again, I highly recommend staying in the city for the night, when the main crowds of tourists have already left on their buses and you will be practically alone with a medieval fairy tale!
one of the canals of Bruges
It is worth starting your acquaintance with Bruges from the market square. Here you will find the Belfort Tower, on which there is a panoramic observation deck overlooking the city and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, plus the square itself is very lively.
The weather was not very good and we decided not to climb the Belfort tower, but went on to walk around the city. From time to time it rained, a catch phrase immediately crept in that right now is the time to lay low in Bruges. 🙂
Rough street in Bruges
And we decided to eat some tasty ... it was still too early for strong Belgian beer, so we decided to eat Belgian waffles, you can take either just a waffle, or a waffle with hot chocolate or cream. On the market square in Bruges, you can buy Belgian waffles at almost every step. Belgian waffles are very fresh and hearty, as well as heavy, so I also recommend taking either a cappuccino or just hot tea. 🙂
city of Bruges. ..
There are also plenty of other delicacies for every taste and budget ...
goodies in Bruges
Cathedral of Christ the Savior Sint-salvatorskathedraal
After having a snack, we went on to wander around the city and decided to go to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior Sint-salvatorskathedraal. I have already said more than once about my weakness for Gothic cathedrals. In its current form, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior has existed since 1839, and the first mentions date back to the 9th century AD.
organ of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is famous for its collection of tapestries, but apparently either they are not always hung, or we were so “lucky”, but during our visit the walls of the cathedral were empty. However, even without paintings, the cathedral looks very beautiful and light. In some way it resembles the Antwerp Cathedral, the only thing, only, that more majestic or something.
In the vicinity, next to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, is the most photographed hotel in Bruges, the Hotel de Castillion.
There is also a small courtyard next to the cathedral, which, in my opinion, also needs to be looked into, it is very atmospheric.
Medieval courtyard in Bruges
And here is a typical Amsterdam plot, it is not surprising, because Flanders was once part of Holland.
What else can you see in Bruges in one day ..? Of course, these are the canals of the city.
Canals of Bruges
The canals of Bruges are no less picturesque and beautiful than those of Amsterdam, you can read a story about a walk along which you can read.
Just like in Amsterdam, Bruges has special excursion routes along the canals on boats, which are very popular with tourists, however, as I already wrote, in my opinion, from the point of view of exploring the city, they are not very attractive, because have to look up at everything.
Towards the middle of the day the weather improved, the sun began to appear in the sky and Bruges sparkled with new colors.
The canals of Bruges certainly make the city even more picturesque. Without them, Bruges would be quite harsh and I think less attractive for tourists. Not for nothing, the capital of Flanders was nicknamed "Venice of the North".
I really liked this "toy" house, which is located next to a lawn and a pond with swans ...
But in fact, and the lawn with the swans ... a little sorry that they all have locks on their paws ... so as not to fly away. Still, it turns out that they do not live there of their own free will.
Belfort Tower
On the street, the weather had already completely cleared up and since such a booze began, we decided to go back to the market square and climb the Belfort tower.
The road to Belfort Tower took no more than 10 minutes. The ascent to the tower is only on foot. The views from the Belfort tower are overshadowed by a grate 🙁 a really big bummer ... I would have known, maybe they would have decided not to go up at all ...
View from the Belfort Tower
Of course, you can be perverted to take a picture without this grill, but this is all "dancing with a tambourine", and all the same, except through the lens, without the grill, you will not be able to contemplate the city!
view from the Belfort tower
After descending from the Belfort tower, we wandered around the city a little more ... I'll add a couple more photos to the report ...
What to see in Bruges. Conclusion
Our walk in Bruges is gradually coming to an end. We decided to return to the hotel and rest a little, and in the late afternoon we again walk a little along the completely different Boyugga. But more on that later. 🙂 
As a result, my answer to the question of what to see in Bruges is quite simple. You just need to walk around this city. There are no majestic cathedrals or other architectural monuments here. But the city itself is so real that you want to return to it again and again.
Bruges map. Our route
I am publishing our route through the city on the map of Bruges. Perhaps it will be useful to someone, and it will be useful for me later to see if we decide to return to Bruges. The map is very conditional. The route is laid only along the main streets. I recommend, as we did, to walk in zig-zags and look into every nook and cranny of this wonderful city.
The city center of Bruges is surrounded by the Ringvaart canal. Railroad station southwest of the canal ring and marked with the number 1 (Stationsplein 5). And a little to the east, crossing the bridge over the canal
2 Gentpoort Gate (on Gentpoortstraat). Once there were ten gates in the city defensive walls, four of them have survived to this day. The first gates on this site appeared in the 13th century, and those that can be seen today in the 15th century. Now the building houses a museum where you can learn about the history of the fortress walls and city gates of Bruges. Go west - left through the park.
The southernmost lake in the area is
3 Minnewater. Lake Minnewater emerged as a basin that protects the city from flooding and flooding. The river Rhea, which flows through the southern part of Bruges to the sea, had an extremely changeable water level. Therefore, in the XIII century. in the place where the river Rhea flowed into the city, dams and sluices were built. Once upon a time all kinds of boats moored on the lake, which sailed from the sea. Now, around the lake (or rather, the pond) is spread beautiful park Minnewater. There are several versions about the origin of the name Minnewater. One of them is from Dutch. the words "beminnen" - "love". At the end of the 19th century, the French translated the name of the lake in this way and invented the legend about the lovers who lived here, Minna and Stromberg. When Stromberg went to fight against the Romans, Minne's father began to force her to marry another, but she fled into the forest. And when Stromberg found her, it was too late - Minne died in the arms of her beloved.
In memory of his beloved, Stromberg blocked the stream with a dam and buried his beloved in the middle of the drained bed. Then he gave freedom to the water again. This is how the name Minnewater was born - Lake Minne, the lake of love. Swans have been bred in Bruges since 1488. And although the reason for this was a sad event (the Austrian emperor thus decided to perpetuate the memory of his councilor beheaded by the townspeople, whose surname meant "long-necked"), today few people remember this. The swans themselves have become one of the symbols of the city, looking at us not only from the mirror surface of the lake, but also from the windows of souvenir shops. The best vistas of the pond, park and watchman's gingerbread house, made of darkened brick, are from an ancient bridge that spans the canal that flows into Minnewater. It is believed that if lovers, standing on this bridge, swear to each other in eternal love, but nothing can separate them.
4 Poertoren powder tower - next to the bridge on west bank lakes. Built in 1398, it was part of the city rampart and at the same time served as a storage for the gunpowder of the cannons. It looks like a thick brick chimney with a turret. Several interesting buildings overlook the shores of the lake. For example, the neo-Gothic castle de la Faille, which belonged to a wealthy Dutch family.
The lake is of artificial origin, in fact it is a dam. A dam that regulates the water level is located on the site of this house
5 Sashuis. literally translated from the Dutch shuttle house. (three windows over the water)
6 The Beguinage (Wijngaardstraat) dates back to the 13th century, although only the church's portal has survived from the buildings of that time. The territory of the Beguinage is surrounded by walls and a moat, which makes this place separate from the world. Beginners are often mistaken for nuns. This is not entirely true. They are solitary women who are members of a free community. Unlike real nuns, the beggars do not take monastic vows: they can leave the community at any time, return to worldly life and get married, they can have their own income and real estate. Today, Benidictine nuns and single women live on the territory of the Beguinage. On the bridge in front of the entrance to the Beguinage of Bruges, there is a landmark marking the border between the city and the Beguinage. This clearly illustrates its autonomy. The Sauve Garde inscription above the entrance gate speaks of the right of refuge in this area. (White arch with a door in the gate - go there) The name of the beguinage “Ten Wijngaerde” translates as “In the Vineyard” (Vineyard of the Lord).
Look for a café with a nun and 7 horse fountains (Wijngaardstraat 33) along the way. Along Wijngaardstraat and left
8 Walplein square. Once there was a city wall, but since the 12th century the city has grown significantly. there are many cafes and bars with craft beer on the square. There are even several well-known establishments among beer lovers with their own breweries, De Halve Maan, for example. On the square there is a sculpture “Zeus, Leda, Prometheus and Pegasus visit Bruges”. Zeus is depicted as a swan.
9 Godshuis is an old Belgian version of a nursing home. Living quarters located around a beautiful quiet courtyard garden. (in front of the channel).
Through the channel.
10 Sint-Janshospitaal Sint Yang Hospital (Mariastraat 38). The 200-bed hospital was founded in 1188 and belonged to the Order of the Ursulines, still serves its purpose and is run by the Augustinian sisters, most of whom were educated as sisters of mercy. Inside there is a museum with paintings by H. Memling, as well as about the history of the hospital. Take a look at the courtyards.
11 A few steps away is the Church of Our Lady of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk / Eglise de Notre Dame. The bell tower of the church is one of the main dominants of Bruges, its height is 122 m. At this place, the church was earlier in the 11th century, but it was rebuilt a lot. In the Church of Our Lady there is the only sculpture by Michelangelo, which was taken outside Italy during his lifetime - the Virgin Mary made of marble. But she is behind the glass. I propose to go behind the church to the right along Guido Gezelleplein. a beautiful view of the Groening Museum (Groeningemuseum Museum of Fine Arts of the 18th century). Left by the canal. by Nieuwstraat. left at Oude Burg, right, Statue of the mathematician Simon Stevin, best known for popularizing decimal fractions in Europe. to the right and to the main square of Bruges - the Market Square.
12 In the center of the Market Square (Markt) there is a monument to the national heroes of Flanders, Breidel and Konink, who in 1302 arranged the Bruges Matins for the local French. And if in Russian, then several thousand foreigners were massacred. Previously, on the site of the neo-Gothic building of the Provincial Council, there was a wide canal (now filled up) and a covered pier, so ships with goods arrived directly at the main square of Bruges. You have come to the square from the 13th century Belfort Bellfry tower, which is 83 m high, built in the 13th century. The upper octahedral part was completed at the end of the 15th century. From the height of the 366th step, a magnificent panoramic view of the city and its environs opens up. There are also 49 bells. The most important bell is cast in 1680 g and weighs about 6000 kg and reaches two meters in diameter. Currently, the tower contains ancient letters about the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. The tower served as the main observation post, from the height of which the enemy could be seen from afar. Through the central entrance you enter a rectangular courtyard, from where you can climb the steps of the stairs to the gallery. The Museum of Archeology is located on the ground floor of the building. In a niche above the entrance, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, under which there is a small balcony with an iron fence. From here, until 1769, all laws and regulations concerning the life of the townspeople were proclaimed.
On the left in the turret building is the Historium Bruges, a modern interactive museum that tells the story of the city and also houses the tourist office. Be sure to look at at least those rooms that are admitted free of charge. Also noteworthy are the building of the Trial Chamber, the beautiful Gothic Town Hall and the Prevost residence.
13th area of the Eiermarkt Egg Market. In the center of the Egg Market square, there is a fountain repeating the coat of arms of Bruges. The lion and the bear hold in their paws a coat of arms depicting a blue lion with a crown on a transverse strip of red and silver color.
Along Geldmuntstraat, right onto Prinsenhof
14 complex of the Palace of the Dukes (Prinsenhof). Surprisingly, it turns out that in the 15th century Bruges was part of the Duchy of Burgundy with its capital in Dijon, and this palace was the residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Ontvangersstraat right onto Moerstraat
15 brick church of St. Jacob Sint Jacobskerk, 13th century. The churches of St. James were the connecting links on the path of the pilgrims on the long and perilous journey to the tomb of St. Jacob in Santiago de Compostelo. left onto Boterhuis left onto Naaldenstraat right onto Kuipersstraat
16 Black House. (Kuiperstraat 23) This name, together with the dark ambiguity of its history, gives rise to romantic legends. It is said that this house belonged to the Knights Templar. The black house was built in 1480 and has changed little since then. By the way, this is a good example of what the most ancient civil buildings in Bruges look like. They have just such a strict rectangular facade, without any special brick decorations. Another such example is the Berze house. Take Adriaan Willaertstraat right onto Vlamingstraat
In the middle of the 19th century. one of the conceited burgomasters of Bruges wanted to give the impoverished city a new splendor. It was necessary to convince the inhabitants of the medieval area with small, tangled lanes to believe in this rather prestigious object. Bruges should not lag behind Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent and fill the gap in cultural life City Theater 17 (Vlamingstraat 29). The features of the Renaissance style and the style of the times of Louis XVI were amusingly interspersed, as a result - general form turned out to be quite eclectic and the theater clearly stands out from the surrounding buildings. The bourgeoisie, however, liked it, while the common people only shook their heads at the sight of this creation. And even centuries later, the building is still called nothing more than a candy box. In front of the theater entrance, there is a statue of Papageno the bird-catcher from The Magic Flute. Also pay attention to the arch of the gates of the main entrance, where carriages with rich Melpomene lovers could enter, bringing them to the theater completely dry. There are two more historic buildings next to the theater. The house with a bell on the pediment is called the Genoese Lodge, and used to belong to Genoa. This is one of the oldest facades of the city, which was erected in 1399. The building now houses the French Fries Museum. Back on Vlamingstraat, left onto Grauwwerkersstraat
18 The second house of Van der Boersee (Grauwwerkersstraat) stands out among others with its high rectangular Gothic façade from the mid-15th century. This, by the way, is the first exchange in the world. In front of the house, residents of Bruges and foreign traders gathered to conclude deals. So gradually the name of a resident of Bruges, Van der Boerse, became synonymous with the concept of a stock exchange and entered all European languages. on the Grauwwerkersstraat, to the channel,
19 the Augustinian Bridge is 700 years old Along the canal. Jump it back. Take a picture. A little along the canal, and away from it
20 Monument to Hans Memling the artist to the right on Genthof
21 Jan van Eyckplein square Jan van Eyckplein, Spiegelrei. In the center of the square is a monument to the 15th century artist Jan van Eyck, who invented oil paints. The main dominant of the square is the building of the Civic Lodge. The most worthy burghers of Bruges gathered in it, here they had something like their own club. this was the first sight of Bruges for ships sailing to the city. Therefore, the townspeople tried to bring beauty here
Walk along the canals
22 The most remarkable building on the Groenerei canal is the Brugse Vrije house, literally Freedom of Bruges. This is just the residence of the local castellan of the time when Bruges was part of the Duchy of Burgundy. Castellan combined the functions of the manager of the castle, responsible for the proper maintenance of the castle, the garrison and service personnel, and the manager of the territory, responsible for its security and defense, collection of taxes and tributes, and the exercise of judicial power. The rear façade of the 16th century building overlooks the canal, very picturesque due to these turrets. Interestingly, the front façade that overlooks the Burg square is much less interesting, because was rebuilt in the 18th century in the force of classicism.
Burg square. Burg is the main square of the city (and not the Market Square), it was from here that the city started, here was the first castle of the local count. The most notable and beautiful building of Burg Square is Bruges' Gothic Town Hall. Unlike similar buildings on Markt Square, everything is real here, the Middle Ages and all that. Well, except that the restorers did a lot of work, because The town hall suffered during the French Revolution. A small and graceful building to the left of the Town Hall with gilded façade is the old Chancery of the Court. If the Town Hall is Gothic, then the Chancellery of the beginning of the 16th century is already a transition to the Renaissance. Against the background of the Town Hall in the corner of Burg Square, the most important building in the history of Bruges, the Basilica of the Holy Blood (with gilded statues), is slightly lost. According to legend, Count Diederik of Alsace, returning from the Crusades to Flanders, received on the day of the Nativity of Christ a few drops of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, which he presented to the city upon his return. In honor of this relic, a procession of the Holy Blood of Christ is organized in Bruges every year. The first floor of the basilica is Romanesque, austere and modest; a statue of a pelican is installed in the place of the altar. Ancient legend says that this bird specially injured itself in order to feed its chicks with its blood. This legend symbolized Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for the salvation of mankind.
23 Blinde-Ezelstraat Street of the Blind Donkey - narrow but picturesque and with an arch two minutes from Burg. "unites" the Town Hall with the Old Chancellery. Once upon a time there was one of the 4 city gates on this place, which guarded central square... There are several versions regarding the origin of the street name. The most plausible version is that the name of the street was given by the hotel "Blind Donkey", which was once located here. However, it is believed that this name arose from the fact that donkeys, on which they transported goods to the nearby market square, had to close their eyes, because otherwise they were stubborn and were afraid to walk along such a narrow street.
24 Fish Market (Vismarkt) This market, open from Mon to Sat, sells fresh fish and souvenirs, paintings. Until 1745, the fish market was located on Large area, in the northern part of which was the house of the fish traders guild. The market then moved to the Braamberg area, where the corn market was previously located. In 1821, the market was equipped with a roof; before that, goods were sold in the open air.
25 Huidenvettersplein is tiny, more reminiscent of a cozy city courtyard, from the 14th century it served as a tanner's workplace, later it was used for the fish trade, and now it is famous for its restaurants and art market.
Rose embankment, Nepomuk bridge (on it there is a statue of St. John of Nepomuk) and Doyver embankment - places to take pictures
In this story about Bruges, we will walk through the two main squares of the city with short sonorous names: Burg and Markt.
Bruges sightseeing map. This time I didn’t draw the route of walking in Bruges, because there is an absolutely ridiculous distance between Markt and Burg.
Coming back down from observation deck on the ground, we found ourselves in the courtyard of Belfort. It is somehow very remarkable and almost older than the tower itself. But there was no time to study it, because ...
Because for the second time in this story I crossed the bridge of St. Jan Nepomuk and rushed to the Groeninge Museum. There was nothing left until the cashier closed. But not this time, formally I made it to five, and there were still ten minutes left, but the ticket office was already tightly closed. How glad my comrade was that I did not begin to torment him with the contemplation of Bosch! But nothing, in Brussels, I then recouped.
Even to me, an extremely conservative person, Bruges seemed too correct, sterile, old-fashioned and boring. But in some places the impression was created that not everything was so hopeless.
Who is there in the windows?
Laugh, laugh, but at this moment I walked through the bridge of sv. Jan Nepomuk for the third time. Do you think?
I didn't quite figure out how this Czech saint ended up in Bruges, but it seems that he is considered the patron saint of bridges, so his installation in this place is understandable. By the way, it is always very easy to recognize this saint, only he is given five stars in the place of the halo.
5 stars - golden or shining, five-pointed, are usually located in the place of the halo. Only the Virgin Mary (12) and St. Jan Nepomuk. They appeared at the place where the body of Jan Nepomuk was drowned. They also mean the word tacui - I was silent(the saint did not reveal the secret of confession), also remind of the 5 wounds of Christ.
Since we didn’t make it to the museum, we had to finish with a tour of the city. We have the last attraction of Bruges - Burg square(Burg). Burg is the main square of the city (and not the Market Square), it was from here that the city started, here was the first castle of the local count.
The most notable and beautiful building of the Burg Square is the Gothic Bruges Town Hall... Unlike similar buildings on Markt Square, everything is real here, the Middle Ages and all that. Well, except that the restorers did a lot of work, because The town hall suffered during the French Revolution.
A small and graceful building to the left of the Town Hall with a gilded facade is an old Court office... If the Town Hall is Gothic, then the Chancellery of the beginning of the 16th century is already a transition to the Renaissance.
The facade of the Town Hall is richly decorated, some statues in niches are worth something. Probably, each statue of some real character of the history of Bruges depicts?
Against the background of the Town Hall in the corner of Burg Square, the most important building in the history of Bruges, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, is slightly lost. According to legend, Count Diederik of Alsace, returning from the Crusades to Flanders, received on the day of the Nativity of Christ a few drops of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, which he presented to the city upon his return. In honor of this relic, a procession of the Holy Blood of Christ is organized in Bruges every year.
The second floor, where the relic of the Holy Blood is kept, was already closed, but they were still allowed to enter the first. By the way, the scenes with the relic in the film "Bringing Down in Bruges" were filmed not in the basilica itself, but in the Jerusalem church.
The first floor of the basilica is Romanesque, austere and modest; a statue of a pelican is installed in the place of the altar. An ancient legend says that this bird specially wounded itself in order to feed its chicks with its blood. This legend symbolized Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for the salvation of mankind.
A very revered statue of Jesus on the Cold Stone or Ecce Homo "behold, Man" in Bruges.
Here, a local purely Flemish sweetness accidentally got into the picture. Cuberdon, it is also called because of its characteristic shape simply nose. Sweets are poorly stored due to the liquid filling, so it is believed that they should only be eaten in Belgium.
What cuberdons taste like is - if you've eaten Korovka sweets, you know that they are hard on the outside and soft (or liquid) on the inside. Here is the same thing, only the taste is not milky, but rich, bright raspberry. And the soft filling is more likely not liquid, but jelly-like.
But I'm indifferent to sweets, so I bought myself a waffle. Namely, a waffle, not a waffle, such are the costs of the tourist popularity of Bruges. The closer to the city center (and Burg is its very center) - the less waffles.
There is a small park on the opposite side of the Town Hall on Burg Square. Two hundred years ago there was a beautiful Cathedral Bruges, but it was destroyed during the French Revolution.
This is where we finished our walk around Bruges. But we decided to wander around the Market Square before dark and drink beer on it on the path, and already have dinner in, where in terms of food it seemed to me all the cheaper and more interesting. Let me not write anything about Belfort? With him, everything is clear.
Opposite Belfort in 2015, such an interesting piece was installed. Firstly, it is mirrored, the square is displayed on its edges, and secondly, it repeats the outlines of the tower itself, and thirdly, inside it ... there is a seclusion room, where, judging by the plate, any person can hide from the crowds of tourists. I pulled the door, but it was locked, obviously someone was already hiding there and did not want to crawl back out into the light.
But you can screw up the onion and make a photo!
I have already written about this side of the Market Square in one of my stories.
It is necessary to sum up at least some results on their impressions. Moreover, there is such a strange case that I began for the repose, and ended in health. No, in fact, while I was selecting pictures for my stories, I read again about the history of the city, its sights, somehow I was more imbued with the magic of Bruges than when I was walking around it.
I think the main problem in my perception of Bruges is that it is not represented in any way in popular culture. The only exception is the film "Lying Down in Bruges", which travel bloggers quote from despair in every report on Bruges. I confess I couldn't resist either. But there is simply nothing more. I ran through the once terribly popular novel " Dead Bruges", but this decadent chernukha is of little interest to a modern person, although in places it is beautifully written. That is, in fact, all. Compare with the number of books, films, yes, just good travel guides other popular tourist destinations. I’m not talking about or, but take at least the same one that, it seems to me objectively less beautiful than Bruges, but due to its hype in popular culture, is perceived quite differently.
What else did you dislike? Traditionally, the Flanders route includes Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. And against the background of other cities from this four, Bruges, excuse me, is the hole itself. There are practically no people outside a couple of tourist areas, this creates a slightly deathly impression. Where all the locals hang out is also not obvious. I suspect that after 10 o'clock there will even be nowhere to drink beer, this is not a cheerful and party-going Brussels or with its trendy cafes.
But beauty, I admit. I have tried to demonstrate this throughout all four of my stories about a walk in Bruges. I hope you succeeded.
