Europe 2019, Cont.: Bruges

Bruges (Brugge), May 28

We had both been to Bruges before, but on different occasions—Todd in the 1960’s and Georgia in 2006.  Thus fortified with memories of the city (Todd’s far sketchier than Georgia’s), we decided to eschew tours and re-explore on our own—along with an extraordinarily large number of other tourists. The only problem was the weather, for intermittent showers obliged us to carry large, cumbersome umbrellas from the ship

On the Bruges Markt

Brugge (as the Dutch-speaking majority of its citizens call it) had its heyday in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it was a jewel in the crown of Burgundy, a Habsburg-ruled principality that stretched well beyond the borders of the present-day French wine-growing region.  The city’s wealth came from its role as a major commercial port, but the silting-up of the river leading to the English Channel led to the transfer of ocean commerce to Antwerp.  Thus, Brugge remained frozen in time with its early Renaissance buildings unthreatened by the erection of more modern structures.  Happily for the tourist industry, the city’s canals survive.

The artistic masterpiece of the city is the Michelangelo’s “Madonna with Child” in the Church of Our Lady, supposedly the artist’s only sculpture to leave Italy during his lifetime—evidence of the city’s wealth.  The scaffolding results from ongoing restoration work throughout the church.  In second place are the works of Hans Memling, a  15th century German artist adopted by Brugge.

Madonna with Child

A Memling Triptych

Brugge’s two main squares are the Markt, the city’s former commercial center, and the Burg, where the old palace and other government buildings are located. 

Panoramic View of the Markt

Panoramic View of the Burg 
(showing that you can 
be in two places at once)