Trip to Bruges, Ghent and Ypres
May. 30th, 2013 12:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
birdienlLast week I enjoyed a short holiday in Belgium, mainly in the lovely city of Bruges. I wanted to share with you some of the interesting (mainly historical) things I saw. Hope you enjoy the photographs! (The weather was very bad, it rained at least part of every day, so the pictures are unfortunately sometimes very grey....)
Bruges is sometimes called 'Venice of the North'. This relatively small city was once the chief commercial city of the world! It's heyday was between the 12th and 15th century, when Bruges got extremely wealthy by trade in cloth and wool. Many of the buildings erected in this era have survived to this day in a beautiful state, making the city a popular tourist attraction. The historical city center received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.
Day 1: The Bruges Town Hall (above) was built in 1376, making this one of the oldest town halls in current Belgium. Many town halls in cities of Flanders were based upon this one.
The gothic hall in the town hall is just gorgeous! The vaulted ceiling is from late medieval time, the lavish wall paintings are neogothic (19th century) additions. They depict the high points of the history of Bruges.
The Rozenhoedkaai (Quay of the Rosary) is one of the most photographed spots of Bruges. With the canals, the historical buildings along the quay and the famous belfry tower in the background it is a beautiful spot!
The beguinage of Bruges. Beguinages are a collection of small houses surrounding a courtyard and often with a church in the middle. They were used by beguines, a female lay order of the Roman Catholic church, founded in the 13th century. The beguines were women who wanted to serve God without entering a convent and totally retiring from the world. These little 'towns within towns' have a very particular peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The beguinage of Bruges is still functional, though it is now occupied by benedictine nuns.
There are plenty of swans swimming in the canals of Bruges. According to legend they have been here since Maximilian I of Austria commanded the Bruges citizens to keep swans after his right hand man Lanchals ('long neck') had been killed there.
Day 2: Ghent
Carriage rides around Bruges are popular among tourists. Here, the horses and carriages are waiting for customers at Market square in the morning.
Graslei in Ghent. A unique row of historical buildings facing the medieval port of this city.
The three towers of Ghent: St.Nicholas church, Belfry and St.Bavo's cathedral. (Yuk, really heavy rain at this point...)
This pigeon thought it a good idea to nestle on top of the Virgin Mary's head at the outside of St.Bavo's cathedral. Well, her nest will stay dry and she can be sure it's blessed!
Gravensteen, a 12th century castle, served as the seat of the Counts of Flanders until the 14th century. Afterwards, it was a courthouse, a prison and even a factory until it's restoration in 1885.
Day 3: Bruges again
Finally, a little bit of blue sky. A perfect time to climb the Belfry of Bruges. Build in the 13th century, the tower housed a treasury and municipal archive and served as an observation post and ofcourse to sound the bells from, which would regulate the life of the Bruges citizens.
View of Bruges from the top of the Belfry
Yet another historical street in Bruges, leading to the St.Salvator cathedral.
A row of almshouses with the distinctive tower of the Jerusalem church in the background. This church was build in the 15th century to resemble the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The apothecary of the St.John hospital, showing how the interior would have looked in the 17th-19th century.
Day 4: Ypres
The beguinage of Kortrijk/Courtray, a city I passed on the way to Ypres and where I had a 45 minute train transfer. Just enough time for a small wander around the city....
The impressive Cloth Hall and Belfry. Build in the 13th century, it was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages. It served as the main market and warehouse for the prosperous cloth industry. Like the rest of the city, the building was laid to wast during WWI and rebuild as an exact copy afterwards.
St. George's memorial church was build to commemorate the over 500.000 British and Commonwealth troops who died fighting in the Ypres Salient during WWI. Every item inside the church was given by British citizens, towns or organizations.
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, a British Commonwealth WWI cemetery.
The Menin Gate, a WWI monument dedicated to British and Commonwealth soldiers who died fighting in the Ypres Salient and whose graves are unknown. Almost 55.000 names are inscribed in the gate. Every evening since the Gate opening in 1928, the Last Post is sounded under this gate at 8 o' clock.
Day 5: Bruges again
Church of Our Lady with it's interesting combination of 13th, 14th and 15th century architecture. The brickwork tower reaches 122 meter and is the second highest brickwork tower in the world.
Inside the Church of Our Lady, the effigies of medieval rulers Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy and his daughter Mary. Mary was the grandmother of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
The 15th century city palace of the Gruuthuse family, now a musuem
Just one of many lovely views of the canals and historical houses in Bruges
Jan van Eyck square, the medieval commercial heart of Bruges, with the Custom House (large white building right of the middle) and several warehouses.
Bruges is sometimes called 'Venice of the North'. This relatively small city was once the chief commercial city of the world! It's heyday was between the 12th and 15th century, when Bruges got extremely wealthy by trade in cloth and wool. Many of the buildings erected in this era have survived to this day in a beautiful state, making the city a popular tourist attraction. The historical city center received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.
Day 1: The Bruges Town Hall (above) was built in 1376, making this one of the oldest town halls in current Belgium. Many town halls in cities of Flanders were based upon this one.
The gothic hall in the town hall is just gorgeous! The vaulted ceiling is from late medieval time, the lavish wall paintings are neogothic (19th century) additions. They depict the high points of the history of Bruges.
The Rozenhoedkaai (Quay of the Rosary) is one of the most photographed spots of Bruges. With the canals, the historical buildings along the quay and the famous belfry tower in the background it is a beautiful spot!
The beguinage of Bruges. Beguinages are a collection of small houses surrounding a courtyard and often with a church in the middle. They were used by beguines, a female lay order of the Roman Catholic church, founded in the 13th century. The beguines were women who wanted to serve God without entering a convent and totally retiring from the world. These little 'towns within towns' have a very particular peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The beguinage of Bruges is still functional, though it is now occupied by benedictine nuns.
There are plenty of swans swimming in the canals of Bruges. According to legend they have been here since Maximilian I of Austria commanded the Bruges citizens to keep swans after his right hand man Lanchals ('long neck') had been killed there.
Day 2: Ghent
Carriage rides around Bruges are popular among tourists. Here, the horses and carriages are waiting for customers at Market square in the morning.
Graslei in Ghent. A unique row of historical buildings facing the medieval port of this city.
The three towers of Ghent: St.Nicholas church, Belfry and St.Bavo's cathedral. (Yuk, really heavy rain at this point...)
This pigeon thought it a good idea to nestle on top of the Virgin Mary's head at the outside of St.Bavo's cathedral. Well, her nest will stay dry and she can be sure it's blessed!
Gravensteen, a 12th century castle, served as the seat of the Counts of Flanders until the 14th century. Afterwards, it was a courthouse, a prison and even a factory until it's restoration in 1885.
Day 3: Bruges again
Finally, a little bit of blue sky. A perfect time to climb the Belfry of Bruges. Build in the 13th century, the tower housed a treasury and municipal archive and served as an observation post and ofcourse to sound the bells from, which would regulate the life of the Bruges citizens.
View of Bruges from the top of the Belfry
Yet another historical street in Bruges, leading to the St.Salvator cathedral.
A row of almshouses with the distinctive tower of the Jerusalem church in the background. This church was build in the 15th century to resemble the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The apothecary of the St.John hospital, showing how the interior would have looked in the 17th-19th century.
Day 4: Ypres
The beguinage of Kortrijk/Courtray, a city I passed on the way to Ypres and where I had a 45 minute train transfer. Just enough time for a small wander around the city....
The impressive Cloth Hall and Belfry. Build in the 13th century, it was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages. It served as the main market and warehouse for the prosperous cloth industry. Like the rest of the city, the building was laid to wast during WWI and rebuild as an exact copy afterwards.
St. George's memorial church was build to commemorate the over 500.000 British and Commonwealth troops who died fighting in the Ypres Salient during WWI. Every item inside the church was given by British citizens, towns or organizations.
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, a British Commonwealth WWI cemetery.
The Menin Gate, a WWI monument dedicated to British and Commonwealth soldiers who died fighting in the Ypres Salient and whose graves are unknown. Almost 55.000 names are inscribed in the gate. Every evening since the Gate opening in 1928, the Last Post is sounded under this gate at 8 o' clock.
Day 5: Bruges again
Church of Our Lady with it's interesting combination of 13th, 14th and 15th century architecture. The brickwork tower reaches 122 meter and is the second highest brickwork tower in the world.
Inside the Church of Our Lady, the effigies of medieval rulers Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy and his daughter Mary. Mary was the grandmother of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
The 15th century city palace of the Gruuthuse family, now a musuem
Just one of many lovely views of the canals and historical houses in Bruges
Jan van Eyck square, the medieval commercial heart of Bruges, with the Custom House (large white building right of the middle) and several warehouses.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 03:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 08:58 pm (UTC)It's such a photogenic city! You would probably find things to 'shoot' all around!
no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 09:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-31 10:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-03 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-04 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-31 12:30 am (UTC)Again, gooorgeous photos! I am still drooling! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2013-05-31 10:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-31 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-31 04:07 pm (UTC)Good post.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-01 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-11 07:22 pm (UTC)especially all the chocolate storesno subject
Date: 2013-06-12 11:19 am (UTC)