The ageless charm of this unique place is preserved in time by buildings from the 15h, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Thousands of visitors are annually attracted to this city of medieval masterpieces which miraculously escaped the devastation of war. No trip to western Europe would be complete without a tour of this antique town.

Brugge Hall and Belfry by Night

The miles of picturesque canals that meander leisurely throughout the city have earned it the nickname, Venice of the North. In ancient times a 12-mile long canal brought the North Sea to Brugge along with hundreds of foreign merchants, all seeking the famous Flemish cloth which made the town a flourishing trade centre. Unfortunately, around 1480 wind and sand combined to silt up the channel and when efforts to clear it failed, sea-going vessels by-passed Brugge for Antwerp.

A Picturesque Bridge Over Canal photo by G. Wilson

Brugge Bridge and Canal photo by G. Wilson

Today those same waterways are filled with colourful boats whose cargoes are crowds of tourists. The cobblestone streets resound to chatter and the clatter of horse-drawn carriages bearing gawking visitors. Whether by water- or road-way, sightseers come to bask in the beauty and atmosphere of the middle ages. Others crowd the shops that line the narrow walkway and welcome lovers of lace, tapestries and very tasty chocolate.

Touring Tourists

Horse-Drawn Carriages filled with Tourists

At the centre of the city is the Market Square, a beautiful people-place dominated by a tall, octagonal tower called the Belfry. Its 47-bell carillon contributes to the city's relaxed atmosphere by mechanically chiming popular tunes. In the evening well-attended performances are chimed by hand. At the close of the concert the appreciative audience eagerly awaited the emergence of carillonneur Aime Lombaert who circulated amongst the crowd, chatting and signing autographs. When he learned we were from Niagara Falls, he enthusiastically recalled his visit to see the "Great Falls" during which he was privileged to play the excellent carillon located nearby the Falls.

Carillon and Carillonneur

Among the many attractions of Brugge is the Church of Our Lady, a cathedral whose contents are as famous as the structure itself. These include the marble statue of The Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, one of the very few of his statues outside Italy. During the period when France was captured and controlled by Burgundy, what Shakespeare called the "almost kingly dukedom" of which Brugge was a major city, the statue was removed to Paris. It was also among the many works of art stolen by Hitler's hordes, the goose-stepping ghouls who headed back to Germany with the loot led by greedy Goering. Fortunately, following both conflicts the country successfully sought its return.

Eglise Notre Dame & Madonna and Child

In the choir section of the Church of Our Lady, there are two impressive tombs of particular significance to Burgundy. Each is surmounted by a goldern effigy. One of the mausoleums contains the remains of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Charles and Louis XI, King of France, never ran out of reasons for fighting. After a successful siege at Liege, Charles plundered the city down to its last dwelling and chapel. Any who could not pay his heavy ransom were drowned. Later Louis manoeuvred Charles into a war with Switzerland whose warriors were the most valiant of the age. When the Burgundians were routed Charles neared insanity in his grief. Recovering his composure Charles formed a new army and fought the Swiss again. At the Battle of Nancy on 5 January 1477 he was killed. Two days later he was found frozen in a pond, his body stripped naked by thieves, his head cloven by a Swiss halberd, his face frozen fast in the ice. So much of his body had been eaten by wolves, he would have been unrecognizable except for his long fingernails for which he was well known.

Beside Charles is the mausoleum of his daughter, Mary of Burgundy, who at the age of 19 succeeded her father. Her uncle, Louis XI, endeavoured to seize the Duchy by invoking Slavic law which prohibited women from inheriting property. Mary outwitted him by wedding Maximilian of Austria who subsequently became Holy Roman Emperor. By marrying the greatest heiress in Europe, Maximilian maintained the domain for her - and himself.

Tombs of Mary and Charles

Tomb of Charles the Bold

History records that Mary died at the age of 25, a few days after being thrown from her horse while on a hunting party. Her remains were recently exhumed and scientifically studied. X-rays indicated that one of her wrists had been broken and her pelvis crushed, suggesting that the horse had likely fallen on top of her. She died from hemorrhaging. X-rays also revealed that her height was exactly the same size as her effigy and its facial dimensions duplicated exactly those of her skull.

Tomb of Mary of Burgundy

There are 97 bridges in Brugge and one has particular significance for Canada. The gratitude of the city is impressively expressed to two Canadian World War II regiments: the Regina Rifles and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. The statues of two huge bison adorn each side of the bridge over Leopoldi Lane. A plaque nearby explains their presence.

"This bridge was erected in memory of the Canadian forces who liberated the city of Bruges on September 12, 1944."

Bison Bridge photo by G. Wilson

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Copyright © 2008 W. R. Wilson