Location: Flemish Region
Visitor Information
Tel. 050-44 46 46
Bruges is the capital city of Flemish Region and
Belgium and also the largest city in the country. Bruges gained its
fame and size during medieval times when it became an important
trading town in North Europe flourishing between 13th and 15th
century. It is the capital of the province of West Flanders. Located
in the extreme northwest of Belgium, 90 kilometers from the capital
Brussels, it has a population of 117,000 inhabitants in its urban
center. Its name comes from the western Germanic "Bryggia"
("bridges", "docks", "berths"). It is interesting to note that, in
Dutch, "brug" means "bridge", and that this city has the plural name
of this word, due to the large number of bridges that exist in it.
The main attraction of Bruges is its historical center, declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. Although it has been
largely rebuilt, this urban center is one of the greatest European
attractions, as it keeps the medieval architectural structures
intact. Like Amsterdam, Gothenburg and Hamburg, among others, Bruges
is known as "the Venice of the North", due to the large number of
canals that cross the city and the beauty of them.
The first signs of life on the current Bruges
territory date from the 2nd century AD, when there was a Gallo-Roman
settlement there. The name of Bruges was mentioned for the first
time between 850 and 875. Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the
city grew into an international trade center thanks to its important
port. For a while, the port threatened to be threatened by the
silting up of the area between Bruges and the current coastal strip.
However, the creation of the Zwin, the channel between Bruges and
the sea, in 1134 ensured that the connection was maintained.
In 1089, Bruges was proclaimed the 'capital' of the County of
Flanders and from the 13th to the 15th century, Bruges could safely
be regarded as the economic capital of Northwest Europe. Due to its
importance as a trading center, the first stock exchange building in
the world saw the light of day in Bruges. In addition, the
Waterhalle was also built on the Grote Markt as a meeting place for
traders.
The period between about 1280 and 1480 can be called
the golden age of Bruges. At that time, the city had 46,000
inhabitants. The inner city was given a second city wall, of which
some gates have withstood the test of time to this day. The
Burgundian royal house had made Bruges its residence city and
attracted many excellent artists, including painters and architects.
This resulted in an enormous enrichment of the city on an
architectural, artistic and cultural level. The monumental town hall
is a good example of this, but many impressive churches and houses
also date from that period.
However, the death of Mary of
Burgundy in 1482 was a turning point and soon the royal family
withdrew from the city. The end of Bruges as an international
trading metropolis was in sight. Antwerp took over this role for a
century and Bruges fell into complete decline. The Spanish king was
also Count of Flanders from 1592 to 1713; this Spanish rule, coupled
with a few religious wars, dragged the city further and further into
the abyss.
This was followed by an Austrian regime, a French
annexation, a reunited Netherlands and Belgian independence.
According to some, Bruges belonged to the poorest cities in the
Netherlands from 1600 to 1885. For this, the figures of the needy
population are usually mentioned. Others argue that the city, on the
contrary, remained rich, since it could support so many poor people.
The construction of large town houses throughout the seventeenth to
eighteenth centuries shows that there was at least a rich upper
layer. The industrial revolution in the nineteenth century did not
affect Bruges to any significant extent. The fight for a new seaport
was the main point of action in Bruges.
From the beginning of
the nineteenth century, Bruges was mainly praised as a residence and
historical place by English authors. Towards the end of the century,
Georges Rodenbach's novel Bruges-la-Morte was one of the elements
that brought additional attention to the city. In the book, Bruges
was presented as impoverished but mysterious and this created
additional international interest. The historical patrimony was
rediscovered and the construction of the seaport in Zeebrugge in
1896 also promised an economic revival. The exhibition of the
Flemish Primitives in 1902 was the starting signal for the strong
cultural and tourist development that has characterized the city
ever since.
During the two world wars, Bruges was almost
completely spared from destruction. In 1971, the city's territory
was significantly expanded through a merger with the surrounding
suburbs, and in 2000 the city center became a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. During the year 2002, Bruges was the cultural capital of
Europe.
The Saint Salvator's Cathedral, at night this cathedral is a
striking pale appearance in the skyline of Bruges, it is the
oldest parish church (12th-15th century) of Bruges. The pointed
roofs around the spire are striking, these were added
afterwards. It is an early Gothic church whose first building
initiatives date back to the 12th century. Not much is known
about the original church. From the belfry you have a beautiful
view of the cathedral. Worth seeing are the funerary monuments
in the choir, tapestries, the majestic rood screen with organ
(1619-1717), the choir stalls and a wealth of paintings.
Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk - Church of Our Lady, this is the
largest church in Bruges and its tower is the tallest brick
construction in Europe. It's a gothic church. In the interior
are the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold.
There
is also a famous marble statue of Our Lady with Child by
Michelangelo from 1503-1504. This was originally intended for an
altar in Siena Cathedral. However, it was bought by the Bruges
Mouscron family, who donated it to the Church of Our Lady. It
depicts a thinking Virgin Mary, holding the naked Child Jesus
between her knees.
The Saint James Church
The H. Magdalena
Church
Saint Gilles Church
The Sint-Walburgakerk, This
church was built between 1619 and 1641 according to the plans of
Pieter Huyssens. It was originally the baroque church of the
Jesuit monastery. When this monastery was closed in 1773, the
Sint-Walburga parish took over the church.
St. Anne's Church
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a double chapel, with the
Romanesque Saint Basil's Chapel (1139-1149) below and the chapel
on the upper floor where the Relic of the Holy Blood is kept and
is venerated every Friday. The latter chapel was rebuilt in the
Gothic style in the 15th century.
The Jerusalem Church, also
called the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, was built in the 15th
century by the Adornes family. The first Adorno, Oppicino, who
came from Genoa, was friends with the Count of Flanders Gewijde
van Dampierre. He settled in our region and died here in 1307.
The Adornes became prominent figures in medieval Bruges. In the
early 15th century, they decided to build a small stone chapel
next to their existing mansion, which still exists, to replace a
wooden chapel that was dilapidated. A Papal Bull of Martinus V
(May 12, 1427) authorized them to do so. Tradition says that
Jacob Adorno (+1465) and his brother Pieter (+1464) undertook a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem and were inspired by the floor plan of
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher there.
The Beguinage Church
The English Monastery, typical domed church (1736-1739).
The
Saint Godelieve Church
The Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Potteriekerk
The Church of Our Lady of the Blind
Sint-Trudo Abbey is a
former castle of the counts of Flanders, now abbey of the canon
sisters of the Holy Sepulchre. Main tower from the 14th-15th
century. The abbey was expertly restored and expanded between
1952 and 1972. Near the entrance you will see the Hooghe Huus
(former town hall of the lordship of Male) and a curious old
pillory (pelderijn).
The Our Lady of the Visitation Church in
Lissewege is an impressive brick church (13th century) in early
Gothic style. Remarkable interior, including organ case, rood
screen and pulpit by Walram Romboudt (1562), paintings by J. Van
Oost, M. Van Duvenede and J. Maes, and miraculous statue of the
Virgin Mary (1625). From the monumental church tower (50 meters
high) you can enjoy a unique view of the surrounding polder
plain and the North Sea coast.
The Ter Doest abbey in
Lissewege is a former Cistercian abbey (12th century) of which
the imposing Gothic tithe barn (13th century) still remains, as
well as part of the abbey farm with pigeon tower (1651) and a
monumental entrance gate (1662).
Municipal Museums
The Groeninge Museum in Bruges
houses the world-famous collection of the Flemish Primitives, with
masterpieces by Jan van Eyck, Hugo van der Goes, Hans Memling and Gerard
David, as well as paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance,
Baroque, Classicism and Expressionism can be admired there.
In the
Arentshuis, changing exhibitions are shown on the one hand, including
the rich collection of prints and drawings from the Steinmetzkabinet,
and on the other hand, a permanent presentation by the Bruges-British
artist Frank Brangwyn.
In Forum+ (Concertgebouw), which is connected
to the Groeninge Museum, exhibitions on contemporary arts are held on a
quarterly basis.
The Bruges Museum includes all historical museums:
Gruuthuse, Welcome Church of Our Lady, Archaeology, Ghent Gate, Belfry,
Town Hall, Brugse Vrije, Folklore Museum, Sint-Janshuismolen,
Koeleweimolen and Guido Gezellemuseum. You will find a wealth of works
of art and each location tells the history of Bruges from a different
thematic angle.
Sint-Janshospitaal (Hospitaalmuseum) was once the
largest urban institution for the sick, poor and needy. The brothers and
sisters who worked there left behind many stories, utensils and works of
art. These are still preserved in the same place. Furniture, paintings,
sculpture and all kinds of applied arts are exhibited in a building that
can boast a history of 800 years. A pharmacy with herb gardens and
reference books on medicine complete the collection.
Memling in
Sint-Jan is especially famous for the masterpieces of one of the most
famous Flemish Primitives: Hans Memling.
The foundation of the
Hospital of Our Lady ter Potterie dates back to the 13th century. The
veneration of a miracle statue of Our Lady gave the church a status of
pilgrimage. As a result, the church interior was expanded and richly
decorated. The museum collection shows utensils and works of art that
were used in the hospital. The impressive silver treasure is certainly
worth the walk to the "quieter Bruges".
Non-Urban Museums
In
the Begijnhuisje, a picture is sketched of the living environment of the
former beguine community.
In the chocolate museum of Bruges
(Choco-Story) you will experience the fascinating world of chocolate.
You will be immersed in the history of the cocoa beans and get a
complete picture of the production of pralines. The entrance fee is 6
euros. No further mention is made of the slavery aspects of chocolate,
but the shop at the exit makes up for a lot.
The Frietmuseum is
located near the chocolate museum. In the same style as the chocolate
museum, the history of (Belgian) fries and the method of preparation are
explained there. Especially nice for foreigners to be able to say at
home that they have been to a "Fries Museum" in Belgium. Entrance 6
euros.
The Diamond Museum Bruges shows the extraordinary history of
Bruges as the oldest diamond center in Europe. The visitor receives
information about the mysterious world of diamonds, one of Belgium's
most important export products.
The Museum of the Holy Blood
exhibits, among other things, reliquaries, ecclesiastical vestments and
paintings.
Hof Bladelin was built around 1440 by order of Pieter
Bladelin, treasurer of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Incorporated into
the walls around the atmospheric courtyard: beautiful stone medallions
with images of the former owners.
The Lace Center is housed in the
restored almshouses founded by the Adornes family in the 15th century.
Lace-making demonstrations are regularly given here, and interested
parties can purchase material in the boutique to get started themselves.
The lamp museum (Lumina Domestica) shows you the fascinating history of
interior lighting. You get a clear picture of the evolution from torch
and fat lamp to incandescent lamp and LED. The visitor discovers the
largest lamp collection in the world, consisting of more than 6,000
antique objects.
Museum of St. Salvator's Cathedral: paintings by
Dirk Bouts and Hugo van der Goes, copper tomb plates and reliquaries,
among others.
Archers' guild of St. Sebastian : valuable paintings,
important archives and memories of the membership of Belgian and British
monarchs are kept in the premises of this ancient and venerable archers'
guild.
St. George's Shooters Guild: Just like their colleagues from
the St. Sebastian's Guild, the crossbowmen of St. George also keep
precious archives and a unique collection of crossbows in their
premises.
The public observatory Beisbroek and the planetarium are
situated in the beautiful setting of domain Beisbroek. Using the latest
Zeiss planetarium, it takes you on an overwhelming journey through the
mysteries of the universe. A sophisticated AllSky projection system
immerses you in the colorful splendor of distant nebulae and galaxies.
You can also visit the renewed exhibition and, accompanied by an
experienced guide, take a look through the large telescope in the
observatory. In the period from October to April, the public observatory
also offers various courses for its members. One can also use an
extensive documentation center, with more than 1000 titles.
The Concertgebouw: The large concert hall for Bruges.
The Bargebrug: The pedestrian bridge "Bargebrug" connects the Bargeplein
on the edge of the city with the entrance to the Minnewaterpark. The
bridge has become an example of asymmetrical architecture with red
painted profiles.
The Conzett Bridge: With the bridge over the
Coupure by the Swiss Jürg Conzett, the egg of Bruges (the city walls)
became intact again. Now nobody has to walk or cycle. The bridge is a
contemporary example of engineering, a jewel of architecture and
ingenuity. The bridge integrates perfectly into the Bruges landscape of
the former city walls. (Spicy detail: mechanism is defective several
times, so you still have to walk around or cycle ...)
Toyo Ito's
Pavilion: Toyo Ito was asked to design an architectural work of art with
sensitivity to the historical site. The Burg is the place where Bruges
originated. The foundations of the former Sint-Donaaskerk are still
located under the building site. (Spicy detail: On August 19, 2006, a
forklift destroyed De Carwash van de Gouverneur (as the artwork is known
among the inhabitants of Bruges). Since then, the artwork has been
embellished with ... crush barriers).
Brewery De Halve Maan: in this brewery, which dates back to 1546, everything revolves around the "Brugse Zot", a spicy top-fermented beer, based on malt, hops and special yeast. The barley juice can be tasted on site. Those who want to learn more about the production process and the history of the brewery can participate in a guided visit. Guided tour of approx. 45 min.: 6 euros, including a view of the city from the roof of the brewery, and a Brugse Zot afterwards.
Baron Ruzette Park : a small park located on the Komvest
Graaf
Visartpark : also a small park with a circuit where children can learn
the traffic rules. (Karel de Stoutaan)
Koning Albertpark : a green
oasis between Bruges station and the Concertgebouw
Koningin
Astridpark : the green lung of the center (known to Bruges residents as
"De botanieken hof")
Minnewaterpark : a beautiful park near the
Minnewater and the Begijnhof. Open-air concerts are regularly held here
in summer.
Pastoor Van Haecke park: a somewhat lesser-known park
(near Ezelstraat and Raamstraat)
Stadspark Sebrechts : located just
outside the tourist circuit and yet right in the center (Oude Zak and
Beenhouwersstraat). Pictures are exhibited here every year.
Belfry, The belfry of Bruges, or the Halletoren, is located on the
Grote Markt of the Belgian city of Bruges. The belfry of Bruges has been
included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since December 4, 1999.
Markt, The Grote Markt of Bruges, officially the "Markt", is located in
the heart of the city center and has an area of approximately 1 ha. On
the south side of the square is one of the city's most famous monuments,
the 12th-century belfry (Halletoren).
Burg, De Burg is a square and
former fortress in the Belgian city of Bruges. Originally it was
surrounded by walls and provided with entrance gates. It belongs to the
oldest core of the city. The fortified castle was located at the
intersection of the possibly Roman road Oudenburg-Aardenburg (the
"Zandstraat") and the Reie. The castle had an area of approximately 1 ha
Simon Stevinplein, The Simon Stevinplein is a square located in the West
Flemish capital Bruges, located between the Steenstraat and the Oude
Burg. The statue of the mathematician and physicist Simon Stevin stands
on the square.
Court of Watervliet
Provincial Court
Town Hall,
The town hall of Bruges is one of the oldest town halls in the
Netherlands. It is located on the Burg. The late Gothic building bears
witness to the economic boom of Bruges in the 14th century. On the
facade are statues of biblical and historical (counts and countesses of
Flanders) figures, under decorated canopies. These images have been
updated several times. Many original statues were destroyed, especially
during the French Revolution. Several museums still own authentic pieces
of these statues. The images were replaced by contemporary images, which
led to much discussion. On the facade are statues of biblical and
historical (counts and countesses of Flanders) figures, under decorated
canopies. These images have been updated several times. Many original
statues were destroyed, especially during the French Revolution. Several
museums still own authentic pieces of these statues. The images were
replaced by contemporary images, which led to much discussion.
By plane
Bruges does not have its own airport.
There are some near Bruges, but they only have a recreational
purpose.
Ostend-Bruges International Airport is located in
Ostend, an airport that offers passenger flights in addition to
charter and cargo flights:
The two largest airports in Belgium
are Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport. Many
international companies land at Brussels Airport. Brussels South
Charleroi Airport mainly relies on low-cost airlines such as
RyanAir, Wizz Air, OnAir, Jet4you and BlueAir.
Brussels Airport
has a rail connection. On weekdays there is a direct train to
Bruges. During the weekend you have to change trains once in
Brussels-South.
From (Brussels South) Charleroi South Airport, a
shuttle bus will take you to Charlerloi-Sud station. From there you
can reach Bruges in less than two hours with two transfers.
By train
There are direct IC train connections that connect
Bruges with domestic cities such as Antwerp, Blankenberge, Brussels,
Eupen, Ghent, Hasselt, Izegem, Knokke, Kortrijk, Leuven, Lokeren,
Liège, Mouscron, Ostend, Roeselare, Sint-Niklaas, Tielt, Tongeren ,
Torhout, Verviers, Welkenraedt and Zeebrugge.
From Bruges
station you can also take a direct train to Lille (Lille) at certain
times.
By car
Just south of Bruges is the A10/E40, which
connects the coast with Ghent, the capital Brussels and the
interior. From Bruges, the A17/E403 runs south through the province
towards Kortrijk and Doornik. Connecting to this A17, the N31 runs
as an expressway westwards around the city, and continues north to
Zeebrugge and the seaport.
In addition to this N31, the
N49/E34 north of the city also helps to open up the port.
Several regional roads serve the city. The most important are the
N9, which connects Brussels to Ostend via Ghent and Bruges, and the
two roads that run approximately parallel to the A17 motorway to the
south of the province, namely the N50 to Kortrijk, and the
Brugge-Torhout-Roeselare-Bruges-Torhout-Roeselare- Menen (N32).
The R30 runs around the city center, which functions as a city
ring road. The "big ring" of Bruges is formed by the N31/E403, which
runs in a half arc around and partly through the city in the west of
the city.
One of the ways to get to Bruges from Antwerp is
via the E34/N49 and the N9: From Antwerp, first follow Ghent until
Bruges appears on the signs. Stay on the E34 until Maldegem. Here
you have to pay attention: Take the N498, and follow it to the
roundabout where you can take the N9 towards Bruges. About 15
kilometers later you practically drive into the windmills that
surround the city center of Bruges.
Parking in the city
center is - unsurprisingly - pricey. You can pay by SMS, but if you
don't want to find out how that works, you can also just take a
parking garage. Parking garage Biekorf (approx. 1.50 euros per hour)
is perhaps the most practical, because it is located in the heart of
the city center. Parking just outside the city center may also be an
option for those who are not afraid of a walk. Fortunately, the
historic city center is not too extensive, so it is manageable. Many
landlords of "guest rooms" also offer their guests a free parking
space for the duration of their stay.
By bus
De Lijn
regional buses connect Bruges with Tielt, De Haan, Blankenberge,
Ostend, Knokke, Damme, Maldegem, Ghent, Jabbeke and Roeselare.
There is also a bus connection with the Dutch Breskens,
maintained by Veolia Transport.
By boat
In Zeebrugge you
can take the boat to Hull (England). Shipping company P&O departs a
daily bus from the center that takes you to the port terminal.
It is also possible to take a ferry across the French border to
Dover (England). This is possible from both Dunkirk and Calais.
Bruges is still a junction of various canals and waterways:
The Boudewijn Canal connects the inner harbor of Bruges with the
outer port of Zeebrugge and the North Sea.
The Damse Vaart runs
north from the center to the Dutch Sluis.
The canals
Ostend-Bruges and Bruges-Ghent.
Most sights in Bruges are within walking distance of each other. For small trips you can count on the regional and city buses of De Lijn. For larger journeys (outside the city) it is best to take the train.
The area in which Bruges has grown lies on the border of a sandy loam
area and the sea polders, approximately 15 km from the North Sea. The
largest part of the city can be counted as part of the Zandstreek.
Bruges has eight sub-municipalities, six of which – Bruges,
Sint-Andries, Sint-Michiels, Assebroek, Sint-Kruis and Koolkerke – have
an urban character and two – Dudzele and Lissewege – are characterized
by a rural landscape on the one hand and a port-related landscape on the
other. The inner city – the historic part of the city within the
fortresses – has the highest population density on average.
Neighborhoods adjacent to the city center also often have a high
population density, sometimes higher than some neighborhoods in the city
center. In general, with the exception of certain neighbourhoods, the
population density decreases slightly as one moves further away from the
inner city.
Bruges mainly has a temperate maritime climate. Due to its location
near the sea, the climate in Bruges is strongly determined by this. The
winters are relatively mild and the summers quite cool. The warm Gulf
Stream of the Atlantic Ocean warms up the North Sea, which has a
tempering influence on the climate. The westerly and southwesterly winds
are also softer as a result. In winter the temperature fluctuates around
2 °C, in summer an average temperature of 20 °C is reached.
The
wettest months of the year are normally August, October, November and
December, but rainfall can be quite high throughout the year. The
sunniest months are from May to August, although these months are also
often characterized by periods of heavy precipitation. September can be
a pleasant late summer month. Humidity is highest during the winter
months and is lowest on average during the month of May.
Of the 118,187 inhabitants on January 1, 2017, 57,406 were men and
60,781 were women. At that time there were 22,359 Bruges residents in
the age group of 0 to 19 years, 68,412 in the age group of 20 to 64
years, and 27,416 in the age group of 65 years and older. At that time,
the city also had 53,903 households and 6,316 persons – or 5.3% of the
population – with a foreign nationality.
In 2016, 1,024 births and
1,287 deaths were recorded in Bruges.
Bruges offers a wide variety of drinks and dining options. The city
center has more than 500 catering establishments. The Grote Markt and 't
Zand have a large number of tearooms. Among the many restaurants in the
city are also several star restaurants. De Karmeliet, a restaurant that
received its first Michelin star in 1985 and had 3 stars for 20
consecutive years, but was discontinued at the end of 2016, was one of
the leading names in Belgium for many years.
't Zand and the
surroundings of the Eiermarkt, the Kraanplein and the Kuipersstraat are
known as nightlife areas with various (dance) cafés and clubs.
A large number of beers are brewed in or related to Bruges,
including: Basilius, Bourgogne des Flandres (Blond and Brown), Brugge
Tripel, Brugs Tarwebier, Brugse Babbelaar, Brugse Bok, Brugse Zot (Blond
and Dubbel), De Garre Tripel, Den IJzeren Arm, De Witte Zwaan, Fort
Lapin (various variants), Galbert Van Brugge, Steenbrugge (Blond, Dubbel
Bruin, Tripel, White and Abbey Bock) and Straffe Hendrik (Tripel,
Quadrupel, Heritage and Wild). There are several beer pubs and shops in
Bruges. However, of the many breweries that were once located in Bruges,
only De Halve Maan remains today and there are also the Fort Lapin
brewery, founded in 2012, and the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery,
founded in 2015.
Bruges is also known as a chocolate city: the
city has many chocolatiers and a chocolate museum (Choco-Story). A
specialty is the Brugsch Swaentje, the official city praline. The exact
recipe remains a secret, but almond praliné, gruut and Bruges
kletskoppen play a clear leading role.
Bruges also has some local
specialties when it comes to pastries: Brugs Beertje, Brugse eighten,
Brugse rusk, Brugse cigaretjes, Brugse kletskoppen and Brugse mugs.
Finally, several cheeses, although not made in Bruges, are named
after the city: Brugge Abbot, Brugge Belegen, Brugge Blomme, Brugge
Broodje Apero, Brugge Broodje Classic, Brugge Dentelle, Brugge Goud,
Brugge Jong, Brugge Oud, Brugge Pater, Bruges Prestige, Bruges Prior and
Bruges Rodenbach. These cheeses are produced in Moorslede with milk from
the Bruges countryside. However, they are left to ripen in Bruges'
Sint-Godelieve abbey.
Every year, numerous festivals take place in Bruges that return every
year or every few years. These are of a very diverse nature, ranging
from music festivals to cultural or culinary celebrations.
Some
important and/or frequent music festivals that take place in Bruges are:
the biennial accordion festival Airbag, held for two to three weeks at
various locations in the city;
the five-day blues festival Blues in
Bruges, in various bars in the city center;
the Afro-Caribbean
Bomboclat Festival, for two days on the beach of Zeebrugge;
the
three-day Bruges Tripel Dagen festival on the Grote Markt;
the
three-day Cactus Festival in the Minnewaterpark;
the festival of wind
bands and fanfares Hafabrugge on the Grote Markt;
the International
Fedekam Tattoo, every first Saturday of July at the Burg;
the
biennial four-day jazz festival Jazz Brugge, in various halls in the
city centre;
the triennial Choir Festival, at various locations in
the city centre;
the ten-day festival for early music MAfestival (the
Bruges part of the Festival of Flanders) and the associated
international competition for harpsichord, pianoforte and old string and
wind instruments.
the annual atmospheric contemporary music festival
More Music!, for four days in the Concertgebouw and the Magdalenazaal;
the one-day jazz festival September Jazz;
the electronic music
festival WeCanDance, during two days on the beach of Zeebrugge.
There are also numerous small rock festivals, the most famous of which
are BurgRock (on the Burg), Comma Rocks (Jeugdhuis Comma), Red Rock
Rally (in the Queen Astrid Park) and Wacko (on the Burg). Until 2007,
Dudzele hosted the annual Dudstock festival.
Some festivals and
events of a cultural or culinary nature are:
the BAB beer festival,
for two days in the halls of the belfry and on the Grand Place;
the
Bruges Kantdagen, during two days in and around the Begijnhofkwartier;
the eleven-day film festival MOOOV (formerly Cinema Novo);
the Cirque
Plus circus festival, held for three days in the courtyard of the Major
Seminary;
the European Youth Film Festival Flanders, during one week
in Cinema Lumière;
the ice sculpture festival Ice Magic, around the
end of the year for a month and a half on the Stationsplein;
the
gastronomic food festival Kookeet around the end of September on the
station square side Sint-Michiels;
the one-day folkloric Midwinter
Festival in and around the Museum of Folklore;
the six-day Razor Reel
Flanders Film Festival, a festival for films within the fantastic genre;
the Reiefeesten, a six-day summer festival along the canals;
the
Bruges Triennial, a triennial art and architecture festival.
Some
musical-cultural festivals are: the Coupurefeesten, during one day along
the Coupure; the dance festival December Dance, during twelve days in
different halls in the city; the global one-day festival Feest in 't
Park in the Minnewaterpark; the approximately two-week long city
festival Moods! (formerly known as Klinkers), ending with Benenwerk -
Ballroom Brugeoise; the Sint-Michielse Feeste, every first Sunday of
September in Sint-Michiels; the summer festival Vama Veche, for eight
days in the Queen Astrid Park.
Every year there are several fairs in Bruges, about 23 in total. Some
examples are the Krokus fair on Simon Stevinplein, the Half-vasten fair,
the Easter fair, the Winter fair and the Verloren Hoekkermis, all in the
city centre, the Spring fair in Sint-Kruis and the October fair in
Sint-Andries. There are also several other fairs in the outskirts of the
city, as well as various (village) fairs in Dudzele, Lissewege,
Zwankendamme and Zeebrugge.
The largest fair in Bruges is the
Meifoor. Every year around May, it takes over all of 't Zand, part of
the Koning Albertpark, the Hauwerstraat, the Beursplein and part of the
Simon Stevinplein for about a month, and has about ninety attractions.
The Meifoor originated in the year 1200, when the first annual fair was
held. A more recent tradition is that the Meifoor starts with a costumed
children's procession.
In the nineteenth century, more than half a dozen weekly and daily
newspapers were published in Bruges, both in French and in Dutch (see
also Newspapers in Bruges and French-language newspapers in Bruges). One
after the other disappeared, until only the Brugsch Handelsblad
remained. It became a local edition of the Krant van West-Vlaanderen. In
addition, there are Flemish daily newspapers, such as Het Nieuwsblad or
Het Laatste Nieuws, with a regional section for Bruges (and the East
Coast).
The national radio broadcaster BNL (formerly VBRO)
operates from Bruges, with a focus on Belgian and Dutch-language music.
In addition, Bruges also has a few local radio broadcasters: Radio Brugs
Ommeland (102.7 MHz), Elisa FM (105.3 MHz), Villa Bota (106.4 MHz) and
Star FM (107.7 MHz).
The regional television channel for the
wider Bruges region is Focus.
Bruges is an important economic center. After Antwerp, Ghent and
Leuven, the city has the highest number of jobs in Flanders: more than
75,000 in 2016. The employment rate (the number of jobs per 100
inhabitants of working age) in Bruges amounted to 109.9% that year. The
number of outgoing commuters from Bruges is therefore relatively low:
35-40% of the working population leave the city for work (37.3% in
2011). This share is among the lowest in Belgium. The remaining 60-65%
therefore live and work in the city (62.7% in 2011). Of the total number
of employees with a job in Bruges, approximately 60% come from another
municipality (58% in 2007). In 2016, 74.1% of the population of Bruges
of working age (20-64 years) worked.
On January 1, 2015, Bruges
had an unemployment rate of 6.7%, or 4,596 people of working age. This
is a status quo compared to 2002. This means that Bruges scores slightly
better than the Flemish average.
The average annual income per
inhabitant of Bruges was 19,912 euros in 2016.
The tertiary and
quaternary sectors are the most important in Bruges, each with more than
30,000 jobs (respectively 32,053 and 32,375 in 2010), followed by the
secondary sector (8,577 jobs in 2010). The primary sector provides only
about 450 jobs (2010).
In concrete terms, the most important
employment sectors in Bruges are metal & mechatronics, care, transport,
distribution & logistics, food, and the print, multimedia and creative
sector. Contrary to what is often assumed, employment in the inner city
is only to a limited extent directly linked to tourism, but mainly to
the traditional sectors such as education, health care, services and
wholesale and retail trade.
In 2016, Bruges had 10,720 companies
subject to VAT on 1 January.
Zeebrugge, the seaport of Bruges, is a modern port and an important
player in Europe, especially in the field of new cars, for which it is
the most important port in the world, ro-ro traffic and natural gas.
The port as a whole is Bruges' largest employer. Although it is
often assumed that tourism is one of the city's main employers, the
tourism-recreational sector only provides about 6,000 of the total of
approximately 75,000 jobs in Bruges. On the other hand, the port
generates more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs (FTE).
The
port, which in 2020 covers an area of approximately 3400 ha and has
about 320 companies, consists of three parts: the outer port and inner
port at Zeebrugge, and the canal zone with inner port that runs all the
way to the northern edge of Bruges city center . The canal zone also
embraces the Herdersbrug business zone (including the Electrabel CCGT
power station).
In addition to the port, there are several other commercial and
industrial zones; there are (with the possible presence of a large
company from the Bruges region in brackets): Blauwe Toren (including
Marine Harvest Pieters), De Spie, Ter Panne, Steenkaai (with Structo
Beton), Ten Briele (including Bombardier Transportation (La Brugeoise et
Nivelles) and Dana Incorporated), Vogelzang and Waggelwater.
A
Headquarters zone is planned on the Chartreuse site and near the
Kinepolis site, in the south of the city. This zone would focus on
bringing together the services of larger, often internationally oriented
companies, organizations and institutions. The services would cover
central management such as strategic planning and coordination, support
services, training, research and development, innovation and knowledge
centers, financial operations, marketing and sales, telecommunications
and the like.
The main shopping streets in the city center are these two that
connect 't Zand to the Grote Markt; they run parallel. Coming from 't
Zand, the northern one over about two thirds of its length is called
Noordzandstraat, and further on Geldmuntstraat. The southern one is
called Zuidzandstraat over about one third of its length - up to St.
Salvator's Cathedral - and then Steenstraat. The Zilverpand shopping
center is located between these two axes near the cathedral. Both axes
are mainly dominated by chain stores.
Other shopping streets in the
center are the Academiestraat, the Braambergstraat/Predikherenstraat,
the Ezelstraat/Sint-Jakobsstraat, the Gentpoortstraat, the Grote Markt,
the Katelijnestraat/Mariastraat, the Genthof, the
Langestraat/Hoogstraat, the Philipstockstraat, the Simon Stevinplein,
the Sint -Amandsstraat, Smedenstraat, 't Zand, Vlamingstraat and
Wollestraat/Eekhoutstraat. At the Burg there is still the shopping
arcade Ter Steeghere.
Outside the city centre, the Maalse
Steenweg in Sint-Kruis, the axis Sint-Pieterskaai–Fort Lapin in
Sint-Pieters, the shopping centers Hoge Express in Sint-Andries,
Expresspark in Sint-Michiels and V-Market in Sint-Pieters form the
Shopping Center Sint-Kruis, and the Blauwe Toren business park,
including the B-Park shopping center, are important shopping areas, or
with a more limited fun shopping character.
The Saturday market is held every Saturday morning at 't Zand. The
Saturday market mainly offers new merchandise.
The two Sunday markets
take place every Sunday morning, on the one hand on the grounds of the
cattle market in Sint-Michiels and on the other hand on the
Boogschietersslaan in Sint-Kruis. New merchandise is offered on the
Sunday markets.
The Wednesday market is held every Wednesday morning
on the Grote Markt, and sometimes on the Burg. This market only sells
food, fruit and vegetables, flowers and plants.
The fish market takes
place every morning except Sunday, Monday and Tuesday under the covered
galleries of the Vismarkt. Fresh, processed and prepared fish,
crustaceans and shellfish are traded on this market.
The Monday
market is held every Monday morning on the square 'Onder de Toren' in
Lissewege. New merchandise is offered on the Monday market.
The
Friday market is held every Friday morning on the Marktplein in
Zeebrugge. New merchandise is offered on the Friday market.
The
folklore market is - except in winter - held under the trees along the
Dijver and under the covered galleries of the Vismarkt; this every
Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and bridge day and every Friday during
the months of June, July, August and September. Only the sale of
second-hand merchandise that is at least fifty years old or of self-made
finished products of a folkloric or artistic profession is allowed on
this market.
The artists' market takes place daily - except during
the winter - under the covered galleries of the Vismarkt. This market is
for the sale of homemade artistic or craft products.
The A10/E40 runs along the southern edge of Bruges, connecting the
coast with Ghent, the capital Brussels and the interior. Just west of
Bruges, in Jabbeke, there is a connection with the A18/E40, from where
the E40 follows the A18, parallel to the coast to France, and no longer
the A10, which continues to Ostend. From Bruges, the A17/E403 runs south
through the province to Kortrijk and Tournai. Connecting to the A17 in
Bruges, the N31 express road continues north to Zeebrugge and the
seaport; this road also functions as the western ring road of the city.
In addition to the N31, the N49/E34, northeast of the city, is also an
important access road to the port. The A11, which runs along the inner
port, connects the N31 in the north of the city with the N49 at
Westkapelle.
Several regional roads also serve the city. The most
important are the N9, which connects Brussels to Ostend via Ghent and
Bruges, and the two roads that run approximately parallel to the A17
motorway to the south of the province, namely the N50 to Kortrijk, and
the Brugge-Torhout-Roeselare-Bruges-Torhout-Roeselare- Menen (N32).
The city ring R30 runs around the center of Bruges.
Bruges has a main station, Station Brugge, located on the
southwestern edge of the city centre, and four (unmanned) bus stops:
Brugge-Sint-Pieters, Lissewege, Zeebrugge-Dorp and Zeebrugge-Strand. Two
new stations are still planned: in the north of the city, at the Blue
Tower, and in the south, at the Chartreuse site.
From Bruges
there is a railway line west to Ostend (line 50A), northwest to
Blankenberge (line 51), north to Zeebrugge (line 51A), northeast to
Knokke-Heist (line 51B), southeast to Ghent and Brussels (line 50A), and
south to Kortrijk (line 66).
At least one IC train per hour
connects Bruges (main station) directly with other important cities in
Belgium, such as Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Liège, Kortrijk or Hasselt.
In addition, there are several local trains and peak hour trains.
In the context of De Lijn's Neptune Plan, there are designs for a
light rail connection between Zeebrugge and Bruges (with a possible
extension to Torhout) and between Bruges and Ostend.
The historical connection of the city center with the North Sea via
the Zwin has disappeared; in its place is a modern seaport at Zeebrugge.
Bruges itself is still located at a junction of several canals and
waterways. The Boudewijn Canal runs through the entire port area and
connects the inner harbor of Bruges with the outer port of Zeebrugge and
the North Sea. The Damse Vaart runs from the Dampoortsluis, at the
Dampoort, northeastwards to the Dutch border town of Sluis, and nowadays
mainly serves pleasure boating and recreational purposes. The
Ghent-Bruges and Bruges-Ostend canals are more important for industrial
inland shipping. They are connected by the Ringvaart, which runs along
the east and north sides around the city centre. The Ringvaart is
connected to the inner harbor via the Boudewijnsluis.
Due to the
increasing use of inland shipping through Bruges, resulting in many open
bridges over the Ringvaart, traffic jams regularly arise on the part of
the city ring parallel to the Ringvaart. To relieve the pressure on the
ring canal and to improve access to the port via inland waterways, there
are plans to widen the Schipdonk Canal to make it fully accessible to
inland vessels. This should make it possible for barges to go inland
from the port without having to pass through Bruges, with all the
associated traffic problems. However, this possible widening encounters
serious opposition because a unique landscape, culminating in the canal
crossing at De Siphon, is in danger of being affected.
Several
canals run through the city center. Some of them are sailed by tourist
boats in the summer and during the spring and autumn.
There are
marinas and moorings for short stays on the Coupure, on the Houtkaai, on
the Kanaaleiland and in Zeebrugge. There are places for houseboats on
the Ringvaart at the Kruisvest, and on the Bruges-Ostend canal at the
Kolenkaai.
There is no airport on the territory of Bruges itself, but the nearest airport is about 25 kilometers from the city center. This airport is located in Ostend and is officially called "International Airport Ostend-Bruges".
Between 1913 and 1951, public transport in Bruges consisted largely
of electric trams, operated by the Vicinal. In 1950, Bruges became the
first city in Belgium to replace its trams with 'modern urban
transport', the city bus. The last tram from the city was the line to
Knokke in 1956. This was also the oldest tram line that visited Bruges:
since 1890.
Today, public transport in Bruges, just like in the
rest of Flanders, is operated by De Lijn. It consists of an extensive
bus network, divided into city and regional lines. There are eighteen
city lines, which lead to all corners of the city, and 24 regional and
suburban lines, which connect Bruges with suburbs, villages or towns in
the large region around the city. The bus connection with the Dutch town
of Breskens is co-operated by Connexxion. Since 1908, the Coastal Tram
has also passed through Zeebrugge. In addition, international public bus
transport is also offered by Flixbus.
As mentioned under
Railways, there are also plans for a north-south light rail connection
through Bruges.
Bruges is a school center in the north of the province. In the city
center there are about fifteen secondary schools, a number of primary
schools and a few colleges, such as a department of the Hogeschool
West-Vlaanderen (HOWEST), the various campuses of the postgraduate
College of Europe, and the Major Seminary. The buildings of the Major
Seminary also house a department of the University of the United Nations
(UNU-CRIS), a research institute that works closely with the College of
Europe and is embedded in the academic activities of Ghent University
and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
There are also a few colleges
in Sint-Michiels, such as a HOWEST campus and a campus of the Katholieke
Hogeschool Vives. Near the main station is a university campus of the
Catholic University of Leuven: KU Leuven Campus Bruges. There is also a
top sports school in Sint-Michiels in the Royal Technical Atheneum (KTA)
and two higher professional education schools for nursing. Other schools
are scattered throughout the city's boroughs.
As a large city in the province, Bruges was one of the important
places for the development of football in the west of Flanders at the
end of the 19th century. Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge are two of the
oldest clubs in the country, have both won national titles and are still
playing in the top divisions, with Club Brugge being one of the top
clubs in the country. The two teams used to have their own stadium: Club
the Albert Dyserynck stadium (popularly known as "De Klokke"), Cercle
the Edgard De Smedt stadium. Nowadays, both clubs play in the Jan
Breydel Stadium (29,062 seats) in Sint-Andries, which is owned by the
city of Bruges. However, there are plans for two new stadiums to replace
the Jan Breydel Stadium. For Club Brugge, the city and the club are
developing a new stadium on the Olympia site, right next to the Jan
Breydel Stadium, which will be demolished afterwards. The intention is
that Cercle Brugge will also develop its own new stadium project
elsewhere in the city.
Other Bruges clubs that are affiliated
with the KBVB are Daring Brugge, Eendracht Brugge, KSK Steenbrugge,
Dosko Sint-Kruis, Jong Male VV, Zeehaven Zeebrugge, RFC Lissewege and VK
Dudzele, all playing in the provincial series, the women's football
clubs Club Brugge Dames and Cerkelladies Brugge, playing in the first
and third division of women's football respectively, and the youth
football club JVV Sint-Andries.
In 2000, Bruges was one of the
host cities for the European football championship Euro 2000. As a
result, the former Olympiastadion was expanded and named "Jan
Breydelstadion".
Bruges plays a certain role in the Tour of Flanders; from 1998 to
2016, the unofficial starting shot of the Tour was given every year on
the Grote Markt. The official start always took place at a location
outside the city centre. After several years with Antwerp as the
starting point, the start of the Tour will be given alternately in
Antwerp and Bruges from 2022.
Until 1989 and again since 2017,
Bruges is the starting and finishing place of the Elfstedenronde.
Furthermore, the Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne starts every year on the
Grote Markt in Bruges.
In the Sport Vlaanderen center "Julien
Saelens" in Assebroek there is an open-air cycling track, named after
former Belgian cyclist Patrick Sercu.
Bruges has a really big club in basketball, volleyball, field hockey,
rugby and handball. The best ranked basketball teams in the national
divisions are Avanti Brugge and Racing Brugge, who play in the Eerste
Landelijke. The highest ranked volleyball team, VC Olva Brugge, competes
in the Second National, the Brugsche Rugby Club in the Third National.
The highest ranked handball club, HC Olva Brugge, plays in the Liga
series. The men's team of the Koninklijke Hockey Club Brugge plays in
the Third National, the women's team has regularly fluctuated between
the First National and the Eredivisie in recent years.
Annual
running races in Bruges include Dwars door Brugge (15 km), the Great
Bruges Marathon (42.2 km) Ostend-Bruges Ten Miles (16.1 km),
Damme-Brugge-Damme (10 km), Urban Trail Bruges (10 km), the Christmas
Run Bruges (10 km) and the Midsummer Run Bruges (13 km). Annual swimming
competitions include the Brugse Zwemdoortocht, through the canals, and
the Damme-Brugge International Swimming Competition, via the Damse
Vaart. In addition, there are also the Bruges Triathlon, the Zeebrugge
Harbor Triathlon, the Bruges Kayak Tour and the Bruges Boat Race rowing
competition.
The sports power ball was invented by the Bruges
sports teacher Etienne Schotte. There are therefore numerous power ball
clubs in the Bruges region, six of which are from Bruges itself:
Sporting Bruges, KBC Sint-Michiels, KSVV Inter Assebroek, KBC Male,
Avanti Lissewege and Noordster Dudzele.
In Sint-Andries, next to
the Jan Breydel Stadium, is the polyvalent swimming pool complex LAGO
Brugge Olympia, which includes an Olympic top sports pool, warm water
baths, outdoor pools and saunas. The complex was opened in 2015 and
replaced the former Olympiabad, which was next to it. Other important
public swimming pools are the Interbad in Sint-Kruis and the Jan
Guilinibad in Kristus-Koning. In the Sport Vlaanderen center "Julien
Saelens" there is also an athletics stadium (the home base of athletics
club Olympic Bruges) and since 2012 the largest indoor top sports
complex of Sport Vlaanderen is located. There is also an indoor skating
rink in the Boudewijn Seapark, and an indoor ski slope in Vogelzang
(Sint-Michiels).
The two largest hospitals in Bruges are AZ Sint-Jan and AZ
Sint-Lucas, located respectively in the northwest (Sint-Pieters) and
southeast (Steenbrugge) of the city. They are large general hospitals
where people can go for basic care to highly specialized care. The AZ
Sint-Jan, together with the Sint-Franciscus Xaverius Hospital, which is
located in the city center, is part of the AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende
AV.
Just outside the city center, in Sint-Michiels, is the PZ
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw, a general psychiatric hospital that has four
specialized clinics and a psychiatric intensive care unit. The
Psychotherapeutic Center Rustenburg, a center for psychotherapy, is also
located in Sint-Pieters.
Bruges is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Bruges. The Saint Salvator's Chapter is located in the cathedral. The
city center has 10 parishes. There are several monasteries of various
orders in the city. On the outskirts are a few abbeys, such as the
Sint-Andriesabdij Zevenkerken in Sint-Andries, the former
Sint-Trudoabdij in Male and the former Sint-Pietersabdij in Steenbrugge.
The religious life of the people is characterized by the Cult of the
Holy Blood and the Brugse Belofte, which are organized by brotherhoods
based in the city. The numerous old almshouses, the Oud
Sint-Janshospitaal and the beguinage are also important religious places
in the city.
In addition, other churches and religions are also
represented, such as the United Protestant Church, the Adventist Church,
the Anglican Church, the Free Evangelical Church, the Eastern Orthodox
Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and Islam. There are also several lodges of
Freemasonry and Para-Freemasonry in the city.
Bruges is the provincial capital of the province of West Flanders; the Boeverbos Provincial House is located in the Sint-Andries sub-municipality of the city of Bruges. On the west side of Bruges station is the Jacob van Maerlant building, which houses the Flemish Administrative Center (VAC) of the Flemish government and the federal government.