Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
of the
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
West Flanders
West Flanders is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with the Dutch province of Zeeland to the northeast, the Flemis ...
, in the
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region (, ), usually simply referred to as Flanders ( ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—alongside the Wallonia, Walloon Region and the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region. ...
of
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country.
The area of the whole city amounts to more than 14,099 hectares (140.99 km
2; 54.44 sq. miles), including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at
Zeebrugge (from , meaning 'Bruges by the Sea'). The historic city center is a prominent
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
. It is oval and about 430 hectares in size. The city's total population is 117,073 (1 January 2008),
[Statistics Belgium; ''Population de droit par commune au 1 janvier 2008'' (excel-file)](_blank)
Population of all municipalities in Belgium, as of 1 January 2008. Retrieved on 19 October 2008. of whom around 20,000 live in the city center. The
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total of 255,844 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008.
Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
and
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, it is sometimes referred to as the
Venice of the North. Bruges has significant economic importance, thanks to its
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
, and was once one of the world's chief commercial cities.
Bruges is a major tourism destination within Belgium and is well-known as the seat of the
College of Europe
The College of Europe (; ; ) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with three campuses in Bruges, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tirana, Albania.
The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 as a result of the 1948 Congress of ...
, a university institute for European studies.
Etymology
The earliest mention of the location's name is as , , , , or in
AD 840–875. Afterwards, it appears as , or (892); as (late ninth century); as (); as (1012); as in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (1037); as (1046); as in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (1049–1052); as (1072); as (1080–1085); as (); as (1089); and as (1116).
The name probably derives from the
Old Dutch
In linguistics, Old Dutch ( Modern Dutch: ') or Old Low Franconian (Modern Dutch: ') is the set of dialects that evolved from Frankish spoken in the Low Countries during the Early Middle Ages, from around the 6th Page 55: "''Uit de zesde eeu ...
for 'bridge': . Also compare
Middle Dutch , (or , , , ), and modern Dutch or ('bridgehead') and ('bridge'). The form would be a southern Dutch variant. The Dutch word and the English ''bridge'' both derive from
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic languages, Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages.
Proto-Germanic eventually developed from ...
.
History
Origins
Bruges was a location of coastal settlement during pre-history. This Bronze Age and Iron Age settlement are unrelated to medieval city development. In the Bruges area, the first fortifications were built after
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
's conquest of the
Menapii in the first century BC, to protect the coastal area against pirates. The
Franks
file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty
The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
took over the whole region from the
Gallo-Romans around the fourth century and administered it as the ''
Pagus Flandrensis''. The
Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
incursions of the ninth century prompted Count
Baldwin I of
Flanders
Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
to reinforce the Roman fortifications; trade soon resumed with England and
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
. Early medieval habitation starts in the ninth and tenth centuries on the Burgh terrain, probably with a fortified settlement and church.
Golden age (12th to 15th centuries)
In 1089, Bruges became the capital of the
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the most powerful political entities in the medieval Low Countries, located on the North Sea coast of modern-day Belgium and north-eastern France. Unlike the neighbouring states of Duchy of Brabant, Brabant and ...
. Bruges received its
city charter on 27 July 1128, and new walls and canals were built. By the 12th century, the city had gained an autonomous administration. Het Zwin (Golden Inlet), the tidal inlet of Bruges, was crucial to the development of local commerce.
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 to
Damme,
a city that became the commercial outpost for Bruges.
Bruges had a strategic location at the crossroads of the northern
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
trade, who had a
kontor in the city, and the southern trade routes. Bruges was already included in the circuit of the Flemish and French cloth fairs at the beginning of the 13th century, but when the old system of fairs broke down, the entrepreneurs of Bruges innovated. They developed, or borrowed from Italy, new forms of merchant capitalism, whereby several merchants would share the risks and profits and pool their knowledge of markets. They employed new forms of economic exchange, including bills of exchange (i.e. promissory notes) and letters of credit. The city eagerly welcomed foreign traders, most notably the Portuguese traders selling pepper and other spices.
With the reawakening of town life in the 12th century, a wool market, a woolens weaving industry, and the cloth market all profited from the shelter of city walls, where surpluses could be safely accumulated under the patronage of the
counts of Flanders. 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.
Hanse
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
atic 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 the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
appeared in the port of Bruges, the 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
The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
but also advanced commercial and financial techniques and a flood of capital that soon took over the banking of Bruges. The building where the Genoese Republic housed its commercial representation in the city still survives, now housing the
Frietmuseum.

The
Bourse opened in 1309 (most likely the first
stock exchange
A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for ...
in the world) and developed into the most sophisticated money market of the Low Countries in the 14th century. By the time Venetian galleys first appeared, in 1314, they were latecomers. Numerous foreign merchants were welcomed in Bruges, such as the Castilian wool merchants who first arrived in the 13th century. After the Castilian wool monopoly ended,
the Basques, many hailing from
Bilbao
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the Provinces of Spain, province of Biscay and in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the List o ...
(Biscay), thrived as merchants (wool, iron commodities, etc.) and established their own commercial consulate in Bruges by the mid-15th century. The foreign merchants expanded the city's trading zones. They maintained separate communities governed by their own laws until the economic collapse after 1700.
Such wealth gave rise to social upheavals, which were for the most part harshly contained by the militia. In 1302, however, after the
Bruges Matins (the night-time massacre of the French garrison in Bruges by the members of the local
Flemish militia
A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
on 18 May 1302), 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
Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...
on 11 July. The statue of
Jan Breydel and
Pieter de Coninck, the leaders of the uprising, can still be seen on the Big Market square. The city maintained a militia as a permanent paramilitary body. It gained flexibility and high prestige through close ties to a guild of the organized militia, comprising professionals and specialized units. Militia men bought and maintained their own weapons and armor, according to their family status and wealth. Later, Bruges would be consumed in the
Flemish revolts that occurred around the County of Flanders between 1323 and 1328.

At the end of the 14th century, Bruges became one of the
Four Members, along with
Brugse Vrije,
Ghent
Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...
, and
Ypres. Together they formed a parliament; however, they frequently quarreled amongst themselves.
In the 15th century,
Philip the Good, Duke of
Burgundy, set up a court in Bruges, as well as
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
and
Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
, attracting several artists, bankers, and other prominent personalities from all over Europe. The weavers and spinners of Bruges were thought to be the best in the world, and the population of Bruges grew to at least 46,000 inhabitants at this time around 1350 AD.
The new oil-painting techniques of the
Flemish school gained world renown. The first book in English ever printed was published in Bruges by
William Caxton.
Edward IV
Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
and
Richard III of England were then living in exile in Bruges.
Decline after 1500
Starting around 1500, the Zwin channel, (the Golden Inlet) which had given the city its prosperity, began silting up and the Golden Era ended.
The city soon fell behind
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
as the economic flagship of the
Low Countries
The Low Countries (; ), historically also known as the Netherlands (), is a coastal lowland region in Northwestern Europe forming the lower Drainage basin, basin of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and consisting today of the three modern "Bene ...
. During the 17th century, the
lace industry took off, and various efforts to bring back the glorious past were made. During the 1650s, the city was the base for
Charles II of England
Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles II was the eldest su ...
and his court in exile. The maritime infrastructure was modernized, and new connections with the sea were built, but without much success, as Antwerp became increasingly dominant. Bruges became impoverished and gradually faded in importance.
The symbolist novelist
George Rodenbach made the city into a character in his novel ''
Bruges-la-Morte'', meaning "Bruges-the-dead", which was adapted into
Erich Wolfgang Korngold's opera, ''
Die tote Stadt'' (The Dead City).
19th century and later revival
In the second half of the 19th century, Bruges became one of the world's first tourist destinations, attracting wealthy British and French tourists. By 1909, the 'Bruges Forward: Society to Improve Tourist' association had come into operation.
In
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, German forces occupied Bruges. However, the city suffered virtually no damage, and
was liberated on 19 October 1918 by the Allies. The city was occupied by the Germans from 1940 during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and was again spared destruction. On 12 September 1944, it was liberated by the
12th Manitoba Dragoons' Canadian troops. The liberation of the city was facilitated by the bridge, now known as the , connecting the outer municipalities with the city centre.
After 1965, the original medieval city experienced a "renaissance". Restorations of residential and commercial structures, historic monuments, and churches generated a surge in tourism and economic activity in the downtown area. International tourism has boomed, and new efforts resulted in Bruges being designated
European Capital of Culture in 2002. It attracts some eight million tourists annually.
The
port of Zeebrugge was built in 1907. The Germans used it for their
U-boat
U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...
s in World War I. It was greatly expanded in the 1970s and early 1980s and has become one of Europe's most important and modern ports.
Geography

The
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
comprises following
sub-municipalities:
* The historic city centre of Bruges,
Sint-Jozef and
Sint-Pieters (I)
*
Koolkerke (II)
*
Sint-Andries (III)
*
Sint-Michiels (IV)
*
Assebroek (V)
*
Sint-Kruis (VI)
*
Dudzele (VII)
*
Lissewege (with
Zeebrugge and
Zwankendamme) (VIII)
Demography
Brugge is the sixth most populous city in the country after
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
,
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
,
Charleroi
Charleroi (, , ; ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It is the largest city in both Hainaut and Wallonia. The city is situated in the valley of the Sambre, in the south-west of Belgium, not ...
,
Liège
Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...
, and
Ghent
Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...
.
Climate
Bruges has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Cfb'').
Transport
Road
Bruges has motorway connections in all directions:
* to
Ostend
Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...
*

to
Ghent
Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...
and
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
*

to
Veurne and France
*

to
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...
and
Tournai
Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...
*

to
Zeebrugge
*

to
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
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 not expensive.
Railway
Bruges' main railway station is the focus of lines to the Belgian coast. It also provides at least hourly trains to all other major cities in Belgium, as well as to
Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
in France. Further there are several regional and local trains.
A third track is being constructed between Bruges and Dudzele, the junction for Zeebrugge to alleviate congestion. Similarly, two extra tracks are being built between Bruges and Ghent.
Bus links to the centre are frequent, though the railway station is just a 10-minute walk from the main shopping streets and a 20-minute walk from Market Square.
Air
The national
Brussels Airport, one hour away by train or car, offers the best connections. The nearest airport is the
Ostend-Bruges International Airport in Ostend (around from the city centre of Bruges), but it offers limited passenger transport and connections. Recently there also started a direct bus line from
Brussels South Charleroi Airport to Bruges.
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, ) and to many towns and villages in the region around the city (regional lines, ).
In support of the municipal
traffic management (see "Road" above),
free public transport is available for those who park their cars in the main railway station car park.
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 underway 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. Nevertheless, 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 (Flemish for Bruges-on-Sea). On 6 March 1987, the British ferry
MS ''Herald of Free Enterprise'' capsized after leaving the port, killing 187 people, in the worst disaster involving a British civilian vessel since 1919; it had set sail with its bow door open. The Herald of Free Enterprise was a passenger ship bound for the
Port of Dover in
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
. Most of the occupants had taken advantage of a newspaper promotion offering a £1 return trip from Dover to
Zeebrugge.
Culture

The
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
architecture in Bruges is mostly intact, making it one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. The "Historic Centre of Bruges" has been a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
since 2000. Its medieval buildings include the
Church of Our Lady, whose brick
spire reaches , making it the world's second-highest brick tower/building. The sculpture ''
Madonna and Child'', which can be seen in the transept, is believed to be the only of
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...
's sculptures to have left Italy within his lifetime.
Bruges' best-known landmark is the
Belfry of Bruges, a 13th-century
belfry housing a municipal
carillon
A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a musical keyboard, keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are Bellfounding, cast in Bell metal, bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and Musical tuning, tu ...
comprising 47 bells.
The Belfry of Bruges, independent of the previously mentioned UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bruges, is included on the World Heritage Site of
Belfries of Belgium and France. The city still employs a full-time
carillonneur, who gives free concerts regularly.
In addition to the "Historic Centre of Bruges" and the tower included in the "Belfries of Belgium and France", Bruges is also home to a third UNESCO World Heritage Site; the
Ten Wijngaerde Béguinage, a
beguinage
A beguinage, from the French language, French term , is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world.
Originally the beguine institution w ...
built in the 13th century, is included in the World Heritage Site of "Flemish Béguinages".
Craft
Bruges is known for its
lace, a textile technique. Moreover, the city and its lace would go on to inspire the ''
Thread Routes'' film series, the second episode of which, shot in 2011, was partly set in Bruges.
Several beers are named after the city, such as ''Brugge Blond'', ''Brugge Tripel'', ''Brugs'', ''Brugse Babbelaar'', ''Brugse Straffe Hendrik'', and ''Brugse Zot''. However, only the latter two—''Brugse Zot'' and ''Brugse Straffe Hendrik''—are brewed in the city itself, in the
De Halve Maan Brewery.
Entertainment
* Aquariustheater
*
Boudewijn Seapark (an amusement park in
Sint-Michiels)
* Biekorf
* Cinema Liberty
* Cinema Lumière (alternative movies)
*
Concertgebouw
* De Dijk
*
De Werf
* Het Entrepot
* Joseph Ryelandtzaal
*
Kinepolis Bruges
* Magdalenazaal
* Sirkeltheater
*
* Studio Hall
File:Concertgebouw R01.jpg, ' ("Concert Building")
File:Dolphinarium Boudewjinpark.JPG, Exterior of the Boudewijn Seapark dolphinarium
Museums and historic sites (non-religious)
Bruges is home to many museums. Its art museums include the Arents House, as well as the
Groeningemuseum, which has an extensive collection of medieval and early modern art. Members of the 15th century
Early Netherlandish school of painters are represented, including works by
Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck ( ; ; – 9 July 1441) was a Flemish people, Flemish painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of what became known as Early Netherlandish painting, and one of the most significant representatives of Early Nort ...
. Van Eyck, as well as
Hans Memling, lived and worked in Bruges.
The preserved old city gateways are the ', the ', the ' and the '. The ', the ' and the ' are no longer present.
The
Old St. John's Hospital (Hans Memling museum) and Our Lady of the Potteries are
Hospital museums. The city is known for ''Bruggemuseum'' ("Bruges Museum"), the general name for a group of 11 different historical museums in the city, including:
*
Gruuthusemuseum, a museum for the house of
Louis de Gruuthuse.
*Archaeological Museum
*Gentpoort
*
Belfry
*
City Hall on the ''square''
*''
Provinciaal Hof'' (Provincial Court)
*Manor of the
Brugse Vrije
*Museum of Folklore
*
Guido Gezelle Museum
*Koelewei (Cool Meadow) Mill
*Sint-Janshuis (St. John's House) Mill
Bruges' non-municipal museums include the Brewery Museum, ''Hof Bladelin'',
Choco-Story (chocolate museum), ''Lumina Domestica'' (lamp museum), Museum-Gallery Xpo:
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...
, Diamond Museum,
Frietmuseum (a museum dedicated to
Belgian fries), Historium (museum of the medieval history of Bruges), Lace centre, St. George's Archers Guild, St. Sebastian's Archers’ Guild, St. Trudo Abbey, and the Public Observatory Beisbroek.
File:Bruges Town Hall R01.jpg, The City Hall
File:Belgium-5940 - Provincial Court (13746435813).jpg, The '' Provinciaal Hof''
File:Brugge - Kruispoort 2.jpg, The ''Kruispoort''
File:Brugge Begijnhofkerk R01.jpg, The Béguinage
File:Gruuthusemuseum - 391534 - onroerenderfgoed.jpg, Gruuthusemuseum
File:Brugge-Canal.jpg, The ''Groenerei'' (canal)
File:Brugge-CanalRozenhoedkaai.JPG, View from the ''Rozenhoedkaai''
File:Brugge Vismarkt R04.jpg, The Fish Market
File:Brugge, straatzicht op de Markt4 2007-08-05 10.00.JPG, Part of the '' Markt'' (market square)
Religious landmarks
The
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
of both the city of Bruges and the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bruges is
Donatian of Reims. The
St. Salvator's Cathedral is therefore also known as ''Cathedral of the Saviour and St. Donat''.
The
Basilica of the Holy Blood () houses the relic of the
Holy Blood, which was brought to the city after the
Second Crusade by
Thierry of Alsace, and 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.
Other religious landmarks and museums include the
Church of Our Lady, English Convent, Jerusalem Church,
St. Trudo's Abbey,
Ten Wijngaerde Béguinage (), and
Ter Doest Abbey () in
Lissewege.
The sub-municipality (or
deelgemeente) and former
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
of Bruges
Sint-Andries has its own patron saint
Andrew the Apostle
Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus.
The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Chu ...
to which the parish
Church of St. Andrew & St. Anna is dedicated.
File:SANGUIS BRUGENSIS14 44.JPG, The annual procession of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
, UNESCO heritage
File:Brugge Sint-Salvatorskerkhof zonder nummer - 174722 - onroerenderfgoed.jpg, St. Salvator's Cathedral
File:Church Of Our Lady Bruges.jpg, Church of Our Lady
File:Brugse belofte 1304 15-08-2010 10-11-40.jpg, Brugse Belofte procession in 2010
Education
Bruges is a centre for education in West Flanders. Next to the several common primary and secondary schools, there are a few colleges, like the VIVES (a fusion of the former KHBO (Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge Oostende) and the KATHO (katholieke hogeschool) or the
HOWEST ().
Furthermore, the city is home to the
College of Europe
The College of Europe (; ; ) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with three campuses in Bruges, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tirana, Albania.
The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 as a result of the 1948 Congress of ...
, a prestigious institution of postgraduate studies in European
Economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
, Law, and
Politics
Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
, and of the
United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), a Research and Training Institute of the
United Nations University specialising in the comparative study of
regional integration.
Sport
Between 1998 and 2016, Bruges hosted the start of the annual ''
Tour of Flanders'' cycle race, held in April and one of the biggest sporting events in Belgium.
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
is also popular in Bruges; the city hosts two professional football teams, both of which play at the top level (
Belgian First Division)
Club Brugge K.V. are the current national champions, while the second team,
Cercle Brugge K.S.V., was recently promoted to the first tier. Both teams play their home games at the
Jan Breydel Stadium (30,000 seats) in
Sint-Andries. There are plans for a new stadium for Club Brugge with about 45,000 seats in the north of the city, while the city council would renovate and reduce the capacity of the Jan Breydel Stadium for Cercle Brugge.
In 2000, Bruges was one of the eight host cities for the
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
, co-hosted by Belgium and its neighbour the Netherlands.
In 2021, Bruges, along with
Leuven
Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...
, hosted the
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the (UCI). The UCI Road World Championships consist of events for road race and individual time trial, and , a UCI Road World Championships ...
.
File:Panoramio - V&A Dudush - Jan Breydel Stadion.jpg, Jan Breydel Stadium.
File:KHBO St-Michiels Brugge.jpg, The KHBO campus in Sint-Michiels.
In popular culture
Notable persons
Literature
*
Hendrik Conscience's ''
The Lion of Flanders, or the Battle of the Golden Spurs'' (1836, ), is a historical-fiction novel based on the medieval
Franco-Flemish War and the
Battle of the Golden Spurs, both of which historically include Bruges.
*
Ludwig Bemelmans' children's novel ''
The Golden Basket'' (1936) tells the story of a family's visit to Bruges. In the novel, the two sisters stay at the Golden Basket hotel in Bruges with their father. On a visit to
Bruges cathedral with the innkeeper's son, the sisters meet a dozen little schoolgirls, the first appearance of Bemelmans' best-known character,
Madeline.
*''
Bruges-la-Morte'' (1892), a short novel by the Belgian author
Georges Rodenbach. The
libretto
A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...
of
Erich Wolfgang Korngold's opera ''
Die tote Stadt'' (1920) is based on this book.
*The detective stories of Belgian writer
Pieter Aspe are situated in Bruges.
*''Niccolò Rising'' (1986), the first volume of
Dorothy Dunnett's eight-book series ''
House of Niccolò'', is largely set in Bruges. Other books in the series also have sections set in the Belgian city.
*''
L'Astrologue de Bruges'' ("The Astrologer of Bruges", 1994), a Belgian
bande dessinée in the
Yoko Tsuno comic series, is entirely set in both contemporary and 1545's Bruges.
Film
*
Fred Zinneman's ''
The Nun's Story'' is a 1959 dramatic film starring
Audrey Hepburn that is primarily set in Bruges.
*''
The Killer Is on the Phone'' (
Italian: ) is a 1972
''giallo'' film set in Bruges.
*The main antagonist of the
Austin Powers film series, Dr. Evil, was raised in Bruges.
*The 2008 film ''
In Bruges'', starring
Colin Farrell and
Brendan Gleeson, is set almost entirely in Bruges. Throughout the film, which was directed by British-Irish director
Martin McDonagh
Martin Faranan McDonagh ( ; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright and filmmaker. He is known for his Absurdism, absurdist Black comedy, dark humour which often challenges the modern theatre aesthetic. He has won List of awards and no ...
, the city's major landmarks and history are mentioned repeatedly, as are the contrasted viewpoints of the two lead characters of the story.
*In 2014
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
film ''
PK'', opening scenes involving
Anushka Sharma and
Sushant Singh Rajput (including song
Chaar Kadam) are set in Bruges.
*The story of the ''
Madonna of Bruges'' being removed by the Nazis and then returned is told in the fact-based 2014 movie ''
The Monuments Men''.
*The 2019
Hallmark
A hallmark is an official Mark (sign), mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metals—such as platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium. In a more general sense, the term ''Wikti ...
movie ''Love, Romance & Chocolate'', starring
Lacey Chabert, takes place in Bruges.
Town twinning policy
Bruges has never formally ratified any
twin towns and sister cities collaboration. In the 1950s, Bruges refused a ''jumelage'' with
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million[Nuremberg
Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...]
,
Locarno and
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
that had been signed by a Belgian ambassador without consultation. The twinning between some of the former municipalities, merged with Bruges in 1971, was discontinued.
Bruges has had the following international contacts:
*
Bastogne,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
, Belgium: After World War II and into the 1970s, Bruges, more specifically the Fire Brigade of Bruges, entertained friendly relations with
Bastogne. Each year a free holiday was offered at the seaside in Zeebrugge, to children from the Nuts city.
*
Arolsen,
Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
, Germany: From the 1950s until the 1980s, Bruges was the patron of the Belgian
First Regiment of
Horse Guards, quartered in
Arolsen.
*
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
,
Castilla y León
Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to:
Places Spain
* Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha
* Kingdom o ...
, Spain: Both towns having been made
European Capital of Culture in 2002, Bruges had some exchanges organized with
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
.
*
Mons,
Hainaut, Belgium: In 2007, cultural and artistic cooperation between
Mons and Bruges was inaugurated.
*
Burgos,
Castilla y León
Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to:
Places Spain
* Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha
* Kingdom o ...
, Spain: On 29 January 2007, the mayors of
Burgos and Bruges signed a declaration of intent about future cooperation on cultural, touristic and economic matters.
See also
*
Borsele
*
Diksmuide
*
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...
*
Ostend
Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...
*
Roeselare
Roeselare (; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare proper and the towns of Beveren, Oekene and Rumbeke.
The name of the city is derived from two ...
*
Terneuzen
*
Tielt
Tielt (; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Tielt proper and the villages of Aarsele, Kanegem, and Schuiferskapelle.
History
Some traces of Gallo-Roman occupation hav ...
*
Veurne
*
Vlissingen
Vlissingen (; ) is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an importan ...
*
Ypres
Notes and references
Notes
References
Further reading
Bibliography
*
*
External links
*
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Municipalities of West Flanders
Port cities and towns in Belgium
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Provincial capitals of Flanders
Trading posts of the Hanseatic League
World Heritage Sites in Belgium