Bruges and the coast
DIVE INTO
Bruges
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This wealth created in the city also created great class differences and inequality between merchants and the nobility, which led the population to take part in the Battle of the Golden Spurs which took place in Kortrijk to overthrow the French king and the affluent.
Later in the 16th century, the river Zwim disappeared and created a decline for Bruges that could no longer meet a high marine status. During 1896–1907, Zeebrugge was built, a large port with associated canals that improved the city's economy. During the 1970s, the port was further expanded and since the 1980s, it has been one of Europe's most important and modern ports. Bruges was occupied by the Germans during both world wars, but the city survived very well from destruction. As early as the 19th century, Bruges began to be visited by tourists. But after 1965, when the city had undergone many restorations, there was a sharp increase in tourism. Eight million tourists visit the city every year and in 2002, Bruges was named "European Capital of Culture".
This is a short summary of Bruges' history, but for those who want to know more, we recommend visiting Historium Bruges. Here you can experience Bruges's history in an interactive way through film, music, VR experiences and other special effects.
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For those who cannot get enough of art, we recommend visiting the Groeningemuseum where there is medieval and early modern art. Here you can view paintings by Jan van Eyck who was an active painter from Bruges and was important for the early northern Renaissance art. Other interesting things to see in Bruges is Choco-story which is a chocolate museum. There you will learn more about the history of chocolate and that you will see how chocolate is made. Frietmuseum is a museum about Belgian fries. Lace center is a museum of excellence for which Bruges is very famous. Every afternoon, in addition to Sundays and public holidays, there is a demonstration of how to make lace. This activity is included in the ticket price.
In Bruges there are many canals and many who visit the city take a trip on the canal with a boat, which we also recommend. The boat trip costs 8 euros, and you get a small tour of the sights you pass while you get to enjoy the city's fine architecture.
Bruges is a city in north-western Belgium. It is the largest city and capital of the province of West Flanders and it is Belgium's seventh largest city. The municipality of Bruges has 118,325 inhabitants. The city is sometimes called the "Venice of the North" because the city contains many canals.
Bruges's history begins as early as 2000 years ago when it was a Gallic-Roman settlement. The city has a long tradition of international port activity and the city had direct contact with the sea until around 1050. At that time, the coastal landscape changed, and the city did not have direct contact with the sea. But in 1134, the landscape was transformed by a storm surge and the river Zwim was created, which became very important for the city's trade and economy. During the 11th century, Bruges' economy strongly grew thanks to the textile industry and trade continued to grow at the end of the 13th century when the city began to contact Western Europe and the Mediterranean through its significant river.
Much of the city's medieval architecture has remained intact throughout history. Bruges is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and since 2000, the city centre has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the centre you can see many buildings from the Middle Ages, including the Church of Our Lady. The church has 115.6 meters high brick spiers which makes this the second tallest brick building in the world. In this church you can also enjoy the church's most famous art treasure, a white marble culture by Madonna and Child created by Michelangelo around 1504. This was the only sculpture by Michelangelo that was transported out of Italy during the artist's lifetime. When Bruges was occupied by French revolutionaries in 1794 and by Nazi Germans in 1944, the sculpture was stolen both times. But it has been recovered both times.
Another medieval building is the Belfry of Bruges which is a bell tower from the 13th century. From the beginning, the bell tower was used as a treasury, municipal archives and as an observation post to warn citizens about fires and danger. Today, it houses a municipal carillon that Bruges uses regularly to give citizens free concerts. The Belfry of Bruges is one of the city's most prominent symbols and for those who are interested, it is possible to climb up this bell tower to view the city from above.
The coast
Near Bruges we find the Belgian coast which has a lot to offer. The coast's 65 kilometres of sand stretches contain fifteen different resorts with their own character and unique atmosphere. It is easy to get between these places thanks to the coastal tram that travels between all these places. There is a wide range of activities such as renting a bike, hiking, sailing, fishing, swimming, ball games, horseback riding, beach surfing and much more. On the beach there is a lot of outdoor art to see. There are most visitors during the summer months, but all seasons have their own charm.
Estaminet de Peerdevisscher is a special restaurant that serves seafood delicacies and that we would recommend. The restaurant is run by a horse fishing family who have special methods for fishing with horses. This restaurant has an associated museum where you can learn more about this unique fishing art.
On the beach you will also find other restaurants serving classic Belgian cuisine such as Moules Frites.
For those interested in history, we can recommend the Atlantic Wall Open-Air Museum where you can walk over homes, bunkers and ditches that were used as the primary defence of the German army during both world wars. This is very well preserved and worth a visit.
The coast is long and there is a lot to discover here. Everything from history, sports, art, shopping, food, and quiet moments. Anyone visiting the Belgian coast will not be disappointed.