New Delhi: If you ever visit the historic center of Brugge, which is commonly spelled Bruges, you will be transported to a time when the breathtaking Flemish town was the hotspots of merchants and traders from every part of Europe. It was a place where bankers, painters and holy men co-existed and contributed to the development of the town.
Brugge is the capital and largest city of the West Flanders province in Belgium’s Flemish Region and has a rich cultural history. In the medieval Europe, it was a major trading centre and during the Renaissance, the place was famous for art and architecture. Hence, the UNESCO designated the Historic Centre of Brugge as a World Heritage Site as the place has retained its character over the centuries. Today, Brugge is one of the best-preserved examples of a medieval European settlement.
Historic Centre of Brugge: Belgium’s famous heritage site
Brugge is a remarkable example of a medieval historic settlement. Over the years, it has retained its historic fabric and the original Gothic constructions have become an identity of the city. It formed cultural links with different parts of the world and is also known for the school of Flemish Primitive painting.
First settlement and development over the years
In the early Middle Age, Brugge was first inhabited by the Vikings. Since the town has located on the North Sea, it became a prominent commercial centre where traders from northern and southern Europe assembled, leading to an assimilation of culture and languages. The Flemish textile industry increased its prosperity and it also became a center of the Flemish Primitives painting school and home to famous painters like Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck.
However, Brugge experienced a change in fortune and by the 1500s, it has ceased to remain one of the major trading centres in Europe. By the middle of the 1800s, the city had become one of the poorest in the continent. But there was a reversal in its fortune when the two World Wars mostly left the city unscathed and its architectural heritage remained intact. Brugge developed as a tourist hub, giving the city a new lease of life.
A popular tourist destination in current times
Today, the Historic Centre of Brugge has a remarkable architectural ensemble which shows the significant stages in medieval Europe’s commercial and cultural fields. The city represents an outstanding cultural exchange which influenced its art and architecture especially in brick Gothic. The city has many of the original Gothic structures including the 13th-century belfry which overlooks the Market Square. The medieval structures co-exist with the neo-Gothic buildings whose construction took place during the later part of the 19th century. Today, tourists go to Brugge from all over the world to witness the historic structures, the canals and the picturesque stone bridges among other things.
The city of the Procession of the Holy Blood
Brugge has many famous cultural traditions and the most famous of them is the Procession of the Holy Blood. The UNESCO has inscribed it on the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It occurs every spring on Ascension Day, which is 40 days after Easter. The procession is done by the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood officiants who carry a vial which, as per popular belief, holds cloth stained with Jesus Christ’s blood. Over 1,700 participants march through the town and tens of thousands of visitors go there every year to witness it.
Brugge, Belgium, a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a rich medieval history as a major European trading center. Its well-preserved Gothic architecture, canals, and the famed Procession of the Holy Blood attract millions annually. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
