When friends and family come to stay with us in Brussels, especially if it’s their first visit to Belgium, there is a high likelihood they will want to go to Bruges. It’s the most famous place in the country, and one of the most over touristed places in Europe. I refuse to visit in summer, but a sunny February day seemed safe to avoid the huge numbers who flock here. Even in winter there are crowds in the centre, elsewhere it was pleasantly quiet.
To be honest, I’ve started to subtly drop hints that Leuven, Mechelen or Namur might be more rewarding alternatives. The lure of medieval buildings reflected in the still waters of Bruges’ canals though is very strong. To be fair to Bruges, it’s a unique place with many redeeming qualities. Just don’t go in summer. We arrived mid-morning and headed onto the old city walls and into Minnewater Park.
As we strolled down the tree-lined path towards Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde, there was an open air photo exhibition detailing the religious life of the area. One of Bruges’ most pleasant areas, the Beguinage (Begijnhof in Flemish) gardens are ringed by whitewashed houses where lay religious women have led pious lives since it was founded in 1245. Even today, there is a palpable serenity behind the walls of the Beguinage.
Its origins were egalitarian, accepting women from all social classes. This changed over time to only allow women from the nobility behind the walls. It became known as the ‘Princely Beguinage’ as a result. The French Revolution dealt it a near fatal blow and while it revived after Napoleon’s defeat, it never reclaimed its place in Bruges society. The last Beguine died in 1930 but some Benedictine nuns still live there.
Stepping back outside the walls of the Beguinage, layers of history are everywhere. Famed for its canals, water has played a central role in Bruges evolution. The tidal River Reie was a vital connection to the North Sea from at least when the Romans were here. Bruges link to the sea would prove vital in the medieval period to transform it into a fabulously wealthy port city famous for Flemish cloth.
Bruges merchants imported wool from England to make highly desirable cloth that was exported across Europe. The city’s population exploded and it went on a building spree: the Belfry, City Hall, Grote Markt and churches, paid for by the immense wealth flowing into Bruges. Those same buildings attract over 7 million visitors each year to a town of fewer than 120,000 inhabitants.
Bruges’ Golden Age arrived in the 15th century along with the court of the Dukes of Burgundy. The Burgundians were responsible for a cultural flourishing that continues to echo down to our time. Flemish Primitives like Jan van Eyck, took up residence, their paintings adorning churches, palaces and grand houses. Perhaps the best example, van Eyck’s The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, can be viewed in nearby Ghent.
The economic and cultural renaissance that the Burgundians inspired came to a swift and dramatic end in 1482 with the death of Duchess Mary of Burgundy. The court moved to Antwerp and what followed for Bruges was a long slow decline into irrelevance. It may not have been immediately obvious, and the citizens of Bruges fought to keep their town a centre of commerce and culture, but the die was cast.
Losing its political importance may have been a shock it could withstand, but the silting up of the river and the loss of trade was fatal. People abandoned Bruges quite literally. Its lack of political, economic or military importance saved it from destruction though during centuries of conflict that swept across Flanders. The preservation of Bruges has endowed it with title of UNESCO World Heritage City.
We strolled through the pleasantly quiet streets and squares to the Church of Our Lady and the cathedral, before walking through De Dijver park to the most photographed spot in the whole of Bruges (a claim based not on statistics but observation), Rozenhoedkaai or the Rosary Quay. This is the classic place for a canal photo with the gorgeous backdrop of medieval buildings topped by the tower of the Belfry.
We headed to the Belfry and Grote Markt. Regardless of the number of people crammed into it, Bruges’ main square is a wondrous place. A walk through the quiet, atmospheric streets of the Sint-Gillis neighbourhood brought us to Jan van Eyckplein with a statue of the great painter. As the sun set and the temperature plunged, we made our way back to the train station reflecting on the untouristy Bruges we’d just witnessed.
