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Monuments walk in Bruges
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Monuments walk
Its name says it all. The Monuments walk shows you some of the most beautiful historic points of interest in the city. Of course, you will only get to see a limited selection of the wide variety of monuments the city has to offer. Depending on the time you spend at each monument, the walk lasts from one and a half hours to half a day, which does including the visit to the museum.
The unique setting of the market square in the historic city centre is the perfect place to start our Monuments Walk. It looks as though Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck - two heroes of the Battle of the Spurs - could still be standing guard here. You simply can't miss the Belfry and its halls. The Belfry was built after a number of fires had swept through the city. From the second half of the 15th century, guardsmen used to stand on this 84 m high tower to look over the city day and night for the smallest sign of fire or possible enemies. You can still enjoy the view today, provided you make the effort to climb the 366 steps first. The building also contains the Bruges carillon, which is the city's most festive musical instrument. The neogothic building at the east side of the market square belongs to the Province Administration and was built at the end of the 19th century and is known as ‘Provinciaal Hof’.
Take Breidelstraat to go to the Burg, a pedestrianised square lined by gorgeous buildings. At the corner of Breidelstraat and the Burg is the baroque Deanery (number 3), which used to belong to the St. Donaas Cathedral, which was destroyed. At the Holy Blood Basilica (number 10), people venerate the relic of the Holy Blood. It actually consists of two chapels built on top of each other. The bottom part, the St. Blasius Chapel, was built in the mid-12th century in the Romanesque style on behalf of Diederik van den Elzas as a building for the relic. The higher chapel of the Holy Blood, where the relic is now kept, is roughly the same age, but underwent considerable changes in the 15th and 19th centuries. The Bruges City Hall (number 12) is thought to be one of the oldest in the Low Countries. The most remarkable part of the building is the 'Gothic Hall' with its exceptionally pretty wooden ceiling and historic wall paintings (19th century). Many works of art and documents showing the city's opulent history are exhibited in this room. Over the centuries the Palace of the Liberty of Bruges (Burg number 11) had various uses. After a first construction period (1525), the building was used as a palace of the region, but after the second construction period (1725) it became a court. Later the building was used as a tourist office. Now it contains the city's archives. The most beautiful part is undoubtedly the former "aldermen's hall" with a gorgeous mantelpiece made in several materials (alabaster, wood and marble).
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Walk through partly covered Blinde Ezelstraat (between numbers 12 and 11b) to reach Vismarkt. It has been a covered fish market for centuries. You can have a deliciously cooked fish meal in one of the restaurants lining the pleasant square. Stroll along Steenhouwersdijk and Groenerei and take a look at two of the oldest little bridges in the city, Meetbrug and Peerdenbrug. The Pelican, a restored almshouse, was built in 1708 (Groenerei number 8). Return to Vismarkt and follow a short narrow street to the pubs and restaurants of Huidevettersplein. Then proceed to Rozenhoedkaai. Almost all tourists here pull out their camera.
Walk straight ahead to Dyver, where two important monuments await you. Number 12 is the Groeninge Museum, which holds a magnificent collection of Flemish painters from the 15th to the 20th century. Collection highlights are Early Netherlandish paintings (Van Eyck, Memling), but the museum also has more recent pieces (from the baroque and renaissance periods for example) and Flemish expressionist works. If you continue along this road you also find the Gruuthuse Museum at number 17. Once this was the palace of the Gruuthuse dynasty; now you can admire objects here from the 15th to 19th centuries, such as jewellery and kitchen utensils, but also a guillotine... Outside you will notice the 122 m high brick tower of the Church of Our Lady at the corner of the street. The beautifully restored church contains magnificent works of art. The main attraction is a piece by Michelangelo in white marble, Madonna and Child. The church also has a wonderful marble high altar and the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary of Burgundy. The church is not open to visitors during services.
In Mariastraat you can pay a visit to the Old St. John's Hospital and Memling Museum to see more works of art by Hans Memling. Elsewhere in the building you can see furniture, art and objects from the hospital's past. Via Walstraat, you reach Walplein. If you need a break, take a look at the De Halve Maan Brewery. The brewery was already mentioned in the 16th century and today it is the only active family brewery in the city. Several tours of the brewery are organised each day. Take your time to taste a 'Brugse Zot' beer.
Those of you who like Christmas can buy their Christmas decorations all year round at “Käthe Wohlfahrt” (Walplein 12). It is only a few yards away from the Minnewater. This water was of great economic importance in the past. It is where the track boats moored before they returned to Ghent. Today most economic activity takes place at the pubs and restaurants. It is an exceptionally beautiful and romantic setting, which attracts many visitors. Legend has it that Minna, a Saxon pirate's daughter, was found here dying by her love Morin. Morin temporarily moved the river so that he could bury Minna under the water. According to a different story the name Minnewater refers to the Middle Dutch word 'min' or water sprite. In the Middle Ages, the Bruges people believed that water sprites lived underneath the bridges of the city. Cross one of those little bridges to get to the Beguinage entrance. The Beguinage was founded in 1245. The beguines lived there for centuries, but now the building is home to the sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict. Enjoy the atmosphere at the Minnewater and then cross another bridge to Professor Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat. On one side, the entire length of the street is taken up by the longest outer rampart in Bruges, that of Minnewaterkliniek, a residential care home.
Walk back towards the city centre through Oostmeers. There are no monuments in this quiet neighbourhood, but you get a good impression of day-to-day city life outside the busy tourist zone. At the end of the street, the St. Salvator Cathedral comes into view. It is the oldest parish church in the city. Its construction started in the 12th century and didn't end until a few centuries later. People usually visit the church to admire the elegant rood loft and organ, both from the 17th century. The church also holds many excellent works of art, such as paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 19th century. Walk onto Oude Burg on your right. Stop for a while to admire Hof van Watervliet (no. 17), a beautifully restored 16th century building complex. Continue and follow Wollestraat back to the market square.
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Picture: ©iStockphoto/Franky De Meyer
Text: GVDV/RD - © AT-Europe bvba
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