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Bruges

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This article is about the city in Belgium. See also Bruges, Gironde, France and Bruges, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France.
Sometimes referred to as the "Venice of the North", Bruges has many waterways that run through the city.

Bruges (Dutch: Brugge (a name probably signifying landing stage)) is the historic capital of the province of West Flanders, Flanders being one of the three regions of Belgium. It is largely considered one of the most beautiful towns in Europe.

The municipality comprises the city of Bruges proper and the towns of Assebroek, Dudzele, Koolkerke, Lissewege, Sint-Andries, Sint-Jozef, Sint-Kruis, Sint-Michiels, Sint-Pieters, Zeebrugge, and Zwankendamme. On July 1, 2005, Bruges had a total population of 117,172. The total area is 138.40 km² which gives a population density of 847 inhabitants per km². (Males 56.788 Females 60.384)

History

Panorama of the Markt

Bruges has a long tradition of international port activity. The oldest trade settlement of Bruges and the early medieval port were accessible from the sea until around 1050. A storm flood in 1134 reshaped the Flemish coastal plain: a deep channel appeared, the Zwin, which at the time reached as far as present day Damme. The city remained linked to the sea until the fifteenth century via a canal from the Zwin to Bruges. But Bruges had to use a number of outports, such as Damme and Sluys. It remains so connected, but its main seaport nowadays is, as its name implies, Zeebrugge.

By the eleventh century, Bruges had expanded to become a commercial centre for Europe. 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 sequential 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, which were round like half walnut shells. 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. (Braudel 1984)

The population swelled, from some 35,000 inhabitants in 1340 to perhaps 50,000 before 1500, when the natural link between Bruges and the sea silted up, and the port of Antwerp became a rival.

Not every citizen of Bruges floated on the rising economic tide: the differences in income between the tradesmen and the patricians were great. Violent revolts, like those of 1280 and 1436-1438 were roughly suppressed. In the 1302 uprising, the ordinary people took the side of the Count of Flanders against the king of France and the propertied classes. First the French garrison was murdered, in May 1302, and two months later, Bruges took part in the Flemish victory in the Battle of the Golden Spurs on July 11, 1302. The statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck can still be seen on the central market.

After a decline during the late fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Bruges recovered to an extent during the sixteenth century. However, the city had lost its leading trade position to Antwerp. The split from the Netherlands in 1584 led to the final decline of Bruges. By 1600, Bruges was a provincial city with a modest maritime reputation.

During the seventeenth century 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 gradually disappeared from the picture and George Rodenbach even named it 'Bruges-la-Morte', meaning 'Bruges-the-dead'. Only in the second half of the twentieth century has the city started to reclaim some of its past glory. International tourism has boomed and new efforts have resulted in Bruges being designated 'cultural capital of Europe' in 2002.

The first book in English ever printed was published in Bruges by William Caxton. Edward IV of England, Richard III of England, and Charles II of England all spent time in exile in Bruges.

Reference:

  • Braudel, Fernand, The Perspective of the World, vol III of Civilization and Capitalism 1984

Sights

The Belfry - situated on the south side of the Markt

Like Ghent, but on a more concentrated scale, it has most of its medieval architecture intact. There are many beautiful medieval buildings, including the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady), whose brick spire - at 122m - is Europe's highest brick tower/building.

Bruges is also famous for its 13th-century Belfort, housing a municipal Carillion comprising 47 bells. The city still employs a full-time bell ringer, 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 Hall and the St-John Hospital.

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.


Miscellaneous

The historic centre of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000[1]

Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin (1548-1620) was born in Bruges.

French NBA player Tony Parker was born in Bruges while his American father was playing professional basketball there.

The fictional character, Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movie series is also supposed to be from Bruges.

Several beers come from Bruges, such as Brugse Tripel (dark golden high fermentation beer), Brugs Blond (a lighter blond ale from the same brewery), Brugs Witbier or Blanche de Bruges, locally known as Brugs Tarwebier (a wheat beer currently brewed by Alken-Maes), Straffe Hendrik (either the blond brew or the stronger brown brew), and Brugse Zot brewed in the center of the historical city (a pale ale launched in 2005 and a brown higher fermentation beer launched in 2006).

Bruges is also a football town represented by two teams at the top level (Jupiler League): Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge K.S.V..

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

The sculpture Madonna and Child in The Church of Our Lady is believed to be the only one Michelangelo's sculptures to have left Italy within his lifetime.

Transportation

Although a few streets are restricted, no part of Brugge is truly carfree—as any local bicyclist (and there are tens of thousands) will attest. Only cabs and buses may cross the main market place, and although driving in Bruges is beastly difficult owing to numerous one way streets, cars are everywhere. The cars are required by law to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, but like everywhere else, some drivers are aggressive towards cyclists. Plans have long been under way to ban cars altogether from the center of Brugge or to restrict traffic much more than it currently is, but these plans have come to nothing. Recently (2005) signs have been changed for the convenience of bicyclists, allowing two-way bike traffic on more streets. But car traffic has not decreased. Recent bicycle fatalities have increased pressure to close bridges and further calm inner Brugge, but laws have not yet passed. Also, due to heavily populated suburbs, bus traffic is high on the narrow streets. This makes cycling even trickier.

Tourists are encouraged to reach Brugge by train (one of its more remarkable products is railway vehicles and trams) or to use carparks. There is a large carpark next to the station. If you park your car in it, you get a free bus ticket to the centre. Or you could take the short walk (5-10 min.). However, as most of these carparks are within the 'egg' (the historical center, enclosed by the main circle of canals) this is only a partial solution, or no solution at all for those living or cycling or walking near the carparks.

Bruges' railwaystation provides (hourly) trains to all other major cities of Belgium. It takes about one hour to get to Brussels-Central Station. Although the nearest Airport is Ostend, it's recommended to fly to Brussel National Airport (Zaventem).

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brugge.
  1. ^ Historic centre of Bruges becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Preceded by European Capital of Culture
2002
with Salamanca 		Succeeded by


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