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'Bruges' (Dutch: ''Brugge'', stemming from ''Bryggja'', which assumedly used to signify 'landing stage' or 'port') is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country.
The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It's egg-shaped and about 430 ha in size. The surface of the complete city amounts to more than 13,840 ha, including 193.7 ha off the coast, at Zeebrugge. The city's total population is more than 117,000, of which ca. 20,000 live in the historic centre.
Bruges has a significant economic importance, thanks to its port, and it's also home to the College of Europe.

Contents

History

Origins

Golden Age (12th to 15th century)

16th century until now

Sights

Culture and art

Theatres and concert halls

Cinemas

Festivals

Museums

Municipal museums

Non-municipal museums

Geography

Transport

Road

Railway

Air

Public city transport

Cycling

Port

Sports

Miscellaneous

Famous inhabitants

Cooperations

External links

References

Gallery

History

Origins

Very few traces of human activity date from the Pre-Roman Gaul era. The first fortifications were built after Julius Caesar's conquest of the Menapii in the 1st century BC to protect the coastal area against pirates. The Franks took over the whole region from the Romans around the 4th century and administered it as the ''Pagus Flandrensis''. The Viking incursions of the 9th century prompted Baldwin I, Count of Flanders to reinforce the Roman fortifications; trade soon resumed with England and Scandinavia. It is at around this time that coins appeared bearing for the first time the name ''Bryggia'', a name that may have the same origin as Norway’s Bryggen.

Golden Age (12th to 15th century)

Bruges got its city charter on July 27, 1128 and built itself new walls and canals. Since about 1050, gradual silting had caused the city to lose its direct access to the sea. A storm in 1134, however, re-established this access, through the creation of a natural channel at the Zwin. The new sea arm stretched all the way to Damme, a city that became the commercial outpost for Bruges.
With the reawakening of town life in the twelfth century, a wool market, a woollens weaving industry, and the market for cloth all profited from the shelter of city walls, where surpluses could be safely accumulated under the patronage of the counts of Flanders. Bruges was already included in the circuit of the Flemish cloth fairs at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The city's entrepreneurs reached out to make economic colonies of England and Scotland's wool-producing districts. English contacts brought Normandy grain and Gascon wines. Hanseatic ships filled the harbor, which had to be expanded beyond Damme to Sluys to accommodate the new cog-ships. In 1277, the first merchant fleet from Genoa appeared in the port of Bruges, first of the merchant colony that made Bruges the main link to the trade of the Mediterranean. This development opened not only the trade in spices from the Levant, but also advanced commercial and financial techniques and a flood of capital that soon took over the banking of Bruges. The Bourse opened in 1309 and developed into the most sophisticated money market of the Low Countries in the fourteenth century. By the time Venetian galleys first appeared, in 1314, they were latecomers.^[1]
Such wealth gave rise to social upheavals, which were for the most part harshly contained. In 1302, however, the population joined forces with the Count of Flanders against the French, culminating in the victory at the Battle of the Golden Spurs, fought near Kortrijk on July 11. The statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, the leaders of the uprising, can still be seen on the Big Market square.
In the 15th century, Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy set up court in Bruges, as well as Brussels and Lille, attracting a number of artists, bankers, and other prominent personalities from all over Europe.
The new Flemish-school, oil-painting techniques gained world renown. The first book in English ever printed was published in Bruges by William Caxton. This is also the time when Edward IV and Richard III of England spent time in exile here. The population swelled to more than 40,000 inhabitants.

16th century until now

Starting around 1500, the Zwin channel, which had given the city its prosperity, also started silting. The city soon fell behind Antwerp as the economic flagship of the Low Countries. During the 17th century, the lace industry took off and various efforts to bring back the glorious past were taken. The maritime infrastructure was modernized, and new connections with the sea were built, but without much success. Bruges became impoverished and gradually disappeared from the picture. George Rodenbach even named the sleepy city ''Bruges-la-Morte'' meaning ''Bruges-the-dead''. In the last half of the 19th century Bruges became one of the world's first tourist destinations attracting wealthy British and French tourists. Only in the second half of the twentieth century has the city started to reclaim some of its past glory. The port of Zeebrugge was built in 1907. The Germans used it for their U-boats in World War I. It was greatly expanded in the 1970s and early 1980s and has became one of Europe's most important and modern ports. International tourism has boomed and new efforts have resulted in Bruges being designated 'European Capital of Culture' in 2002.

Sights

Bruges has most of its medieval architecture intact. There are many beautiful medieval buildings, including the Church of Our Lady, whose brick spire - at 122m - makes it one of the world's highest brick towers/buildings.
Bruges is also famous for its 13th-century Belfry, housing a municipal Carillon comprising 47 bells. The city still employs a full-time bell ringer, Aimé Lombaért, who puts on regular free concerts.
Other famous buildings in Bruges include the Beguinage, the Heilig Bloed Basiliek (the Basilica of the Holy Blood), the modern Concert Building (''Concertgebouw'') and the Old St-John's Hospital. The historic centre of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.^[2]
Bruges also has a very fine collection of medieval and early modern art, including the world-famous collection of Flemish Primitives. Various masters, such as Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck, lived and worked in Bruges.

★ Sint-Salvator Cathedral

★ Groeningemuseum

★ Heilig Bloed Basiliek (the Basilica of the Holy Blood). The relic of the Holy Blood, which was brought to the city during the First Crusade, is paraded every year through the streets of the city. More than 1,600 inhabitants take part in this mile-long religious procession, many dressed as medieval knights or crusaders.

★ Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady). The sculpture ''Madonna and Child'', which can be seen in the transept, is believed to be Michelangelo's only sculpture to have left Italy within his lifetime.

Culture and art

Theatres and concert halls

★ Biekorf

★ Bogardenkapel

★ De Bond

★ Concertgebouw (Concert Building)

★ De Dijk

★ The English Theatre of Bruges

★ Het Entrepot

★ Jan Garemijnzaal

★ Magdalenazaal

★ Stadsschouwburg

★ De Werf

Cinemas

★ Cinema Lumière (alternative movies)

★ Cinema Liberty

★ Kinepolis Bruges

Festivals

★ Accordion festival ''Airbag'' ★ ''BAB-bierfestival'' (beer festival) ★ ''Bad Boys Festival'' ★ ''Brugge Tripel Dagen'' ★ ''Brugges Festival'' ★ ''Brugse Kantdagen'' (Bruges' Lace Days) ★ ''Burgrock'' ★ ''Cactusfestival'' ★ Chocolate festival ''Choco-Laté'' ★ Film festival ''Cinema Novo'' ★ ''Comma Rocks'' Festival ★ ''Coupurefeesten'' ★ Dance festival ''December Dance'' ★ ''Dudstock'' ★ ''European Youth Film Festival of Flanders''

★ ''Feest In't Park'' ★ Jazz festival ''Jazz Brugge'' ★ ''Jonge Snaken Festival'' ★ ''Klinkers'' ★ ''miniROCK'' ★ ''Music in Mind'' ★ ''Festival van Vlaanderen'' - ''Musica Antiqua'' ★ ''Polé Polé Beach'' (Zeebrugge) ★ ''Redrock'' ★ ''Reiefeest'' ★ Jazz festival ''September Jazz'' ★ ''Soundscape Festival'' ★ ''Thoprock'' ★ ''Vama Veche'' festival ★ ''Walvisfestival''

Museums

Municipal museums

★ Artistic works from the 15th to 21st century:

★
★ Groeningemuseum

★
★ Arents House

★
★ Forum + [Concertgebouw] (exhibitions of contemporary art)

★ The Bruggemuseum (Bruges Museum) (general title encompassing all the different historical museums):

★
★ Gruuthuse

★
★ Welcome Church of Our Lady

★
★ Archaeological Museum

★
★ Gentpoort

★
★ Belfry

★
★ City Hall

★
★ Liberty of Bruges

★ Hospitaalmuseums:

★
★ Old St John’s Hospital (Hans Memling)

★
★ Our Lady of the Potteries

★ Folklore:

★
★ Museum of Folklore

★
★ Guido Gezelle Museum

★
★ Koelewei (Cool Meadow) Mill

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★ Sint-Janshuis (St. John’s House) Mill

Non-municipal museums

★ Beguine's House

★ Hof Bladelin

★ Basilica of the Holy Blood

★ Choco-Story

★ Diamond Museum

★ Ter Doest

★ English Convent

★ Jerusalem Church

★ Lace centre

★ St. George’s Archers Guild

★ Sint-Salvator Cathedral

★ St. Sebastian’s Archers’ Guild

★ St. Trudo Abbey Male

★ Public Observatory Beisbroek

Geography

The municipality comprises the historic city centre of Bruges, considered one of the most beautiful in Europe, Sint-Jozef and Sint-Pieters (I), Koolkerke (II), Sint-Andries (III), Sint-Michiels (IV), Assebroek (V), Sint-Kruis (VI), Dudzele (VII) and Lissewege (with Zeebrugge and Zwankendamme) (VIII).

Transport

Road

Bruges has excellent road connections from all directions (E40, A10, E403, N31, E34).
Driving within the 'egg', the historical centre enclosed by the main circle of canals in Bruges, is discouraged by traffic management schemes, including a network of one way streets. The system encourages the use of set routes leading to central car parks and direct exit routes. The car parks are convenient for the central commercial and tourist areas; they are inexpensive.

Railway

Bruges' main railway station provides at least hourly trains to all other major cities of Belgium. Further there are several regional and local trains.
The main station is also a stop for the Thalys train Paris - Brussels - Ostend.
Bus links to the centre are frequent, though the railway station is just a 20 minute walk from the Market square.

Air

The national Brussels Airport, one hour away by train or car, offers the best international connectivity.
The nearest airport is the Ostend-Bruges International Airport in Ostend (±20 km from Bruges), but it offers limited passenger transport and connections.

Public city transport

Bruges has an extensive web of bus lines, operated by De Lijn, providing access to the city centre and the suburbs (city lines, Dutch: ''stadslijnen'') and to many towns and villages in the region around the city (regional lines, Dutch: ''streeklijnen'').
Plans for a north-south light rail connection, that would join up with the Belgian Coast Tram in Zeebrugge, are under construction.

Cycling

Although a few streets are restricted, no part of Bruges is car free.
Cars are required to yield to pedestrians and cyclists. Plans have long been under way to ban cars altogether from the historic center of Bruges or to restrict traffic much more than it currently is, but these plans have yet to come to fruition. In 2005, signs were changed for the convenience of cyclists, allowing two-way cycle traffic on more streets, however car traffic has not decreased. Recent cycle fatalities have increased pressure to close bridges and further calm inner Bruges, but laws have not yet passed. Due to heavily populated suburbs, bus traffic is high on the narrow streets. This makes cycling even trickier.
Nethertheless, in common with many cities in the region, there are thousands of cyclists in the city of Bruges.

Port

The port of Bruges is Zeebrugge. It's the most modern and second biggest port of Belgium and one of the biggest and most important in Europe.

Sports

★ Bruges is traditionally the starting town for the annual Ronde van Vlaanderen cycle race, held in April and one of the biggest sporting events in Belgium.

★ Bruges is also a football town represented by two teams at the top level (Jupiler League): Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge K.S.V., both playing in the Jan Breydel Stadium (30,000 seats). Although, Club Brugge has plans for a new stadium with about 40,000 seats.

Miscellaneous

★ Bruges is known for its lace.

★ Several beers are named after Bruges, such as Brugs, Brugs Blond, Brugs Tarwebier, Brugse Babbelaar, Brugse Straffe Hendrik, Brugse Tripel and Brugse Zot. However, only Brugse Zot is still brewed in the city itself, in the Halve Maan Brewery (a blonde ale was launched in 2005 and a brown ale in 2006).

★ Bruges is home to the College of Europe, a prestigious institution of postgraduate studies in European Economics, Law and Politics.

★ Bruges Matins

★ In Bruges, a film from Oscar-winning director Martin McDonagh.

★ Alan Hollinghurst's novel The Folding Star is set in a Flemish town that is recognisably Bruges.

★ The detective stories of Pieter Aspe are situated in Bruges.

Famous inhabitants

See also: Notable people from Bruges
The following people were born in Bruges:

★ Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, freedom fighters

★ Philip I of Castile, first Habsburg ruler in Spain (1478-1506)

★ Adrian Willaert, composer of the Renaissance, (birth in Bruges uncertain, c. 1490-1562)

★ Simon Stevin, mathematician and engineer (1548-1620)

★ Franciscus Gomarus, Calvinist theologian (1563-1641)

★ Guido Gezelle, poet and priest (1830-1899)
In the 15th century, the city became the magnet for a number of prominent personalities:

★ Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy set up court in Bruges, Brussels, and Lille in the 15th century

★ William Caxton, English merchant, diplomat, writer, and printer

★ Petrus Christus, Flemish painter

★ Gerard David, Flemish painter

★ Hans Memling, Flemish painter

★ Jan van Eyck, Flemish painter

★ Juan Luís Vives, Spanish scholar and humanist

★ Simon Bennic and Levina Bennic Teerlinc, Limners
The fictional supervillain, Doctor Evil, from the ''Austin Powers'' movie series, is also supposed to be from Bruges.

Cooperations

On principle, Bruges has up till now never gone into close collaboration with so-called twin sisters. Without denying the usefulness of this schemes for towns with less international contacts, the main reason is that Bruges would find it difficult to choose between cities and thinks that it has enough work already with its many international contacts. Too often also, it was thought in Bruges, was twinning mostly an occasion for city authorities and representatives to travel on public expense.
This principle resulted in the nineteen fifties in Bruges refusing a 'jumelage' with Nice and other towns, signed by a Belgian ambassador without previous consultation. In the seventies, a Belgian consul in Oldenburg made the mayor of Bruges sign a 'declaration of friendship' which he tried to present, in vain, as a 'jumelage'
The twinning between some of the former communes, merged with Bruges in 1971, were discontinued.
This does not mean that Bruges would not be interested in cooperation with others, as well in the short term as in the long run, for particular projects. Here follow a few examples.
'Bastogne'
After World War II and into the seventies, Bruges, more in particular the Fire Brigade of Bruges, entertained friendly relations with Bastogne in the province of Luxemburg. Each year a free holiday was offered at the seaside in Zeebrugge, to children from the Nuts city.
'Arolsen'
From the fifties on until the eighties, Bruges was the patron of the Belgian First Regiment of Horse Guards, quartered in Arolsen (Germany)
'Salamanca'
Both towns having been made European Capital of Culture in 2002, Bruges had some exchanges organized with Salamanca (Spain).
'Mons'
In 2007, cultural and artistic cooperation between Mons (Hainaut) and Bruges was inaugurated.
'Burgos'
The mayors of Burgos (Spain) and Bruges have signed on 29th January 2007 a declaration of intent about future cooperation on cultural, touristic and economic matters.

External links

★ Official Website, also available in Dutch, French and German

★ The Commercial website of Bruges - BruggeBusiness.com

★ The Cathedral of Saint Saviour

★ Tourist, historical and architectural information about Bruges

★ Use-it, city info for young travellers

★ Enchanting Bruges - Tourist Information and Visitor Recommendations

★ Photos of Bruges - Terra Galleria

★ Virtual Panorama Tour of Bruges

★ Photos of Bruges in 3d (Anaglyphs)

★ Old Postcard Views of Bruges

★ International Airport Ostend-Bruges

★ Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge

★ College of Europe

References

1. Braudel, Fernand, ''The Perspective of the World'', in Vol.III ''Civilization and Capitalism'', 1984
2. Historic centre of Bruges becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Gallery