BRUGES, BELGIUM

                                   Wonderful Ancient City 

Bruges is located in the old heart of Europe, between the triangle of London, Paris, and Amsterdam. Just for confusion’s sake Bruges is also spelled Brugge, although the computer likes the former spelling, the latter spelling is Flemish. Belgium is one of Europe's great secrets. Almost lost between Germany and France in the middle of Europe, tiny Belgium is easily overlooked. The city is pronounced a couple of different ways. BROO-ghah, is how the Flemish, who live in this part of Belgium, pronounce their town. The French half of the country, and English speakers, call it Bruges broozh. However you pronounce it, the name comes from the Viking word for "wharf." In other words---it's been a trading center for a long time.

            Our hotel couldn’t have been better located as we were only a 2-3 minute walk from The Burg, the heart of the city. Although a small country, Belgium has one of the highest population densities in Europe. An efficient rail and road network allows large numbers of people to move around the country each day. Bruges, with Renoir canals, graceful bridges, fairy-tale turrets overhead, fanciful gilded architecture, vivid time-tunnel art, cobbled streets and stay-awhile cafés, I believe is one of the best cities in Belgium. It is truly picturesque, quaint and lovely with a non-hurried more leisurely pace.

The  church bells ring every fifteen minutes and at times the bell ringer plays a concert. We were in the area for one such hour-long concert on a Sunday. Nice! After a while you just don’t give the bells a second thought.

Originally a ninth-century fortress was built to protect the Flemish coast from marauding Vikings. Bruges today retains its reputation as one of the best-preserved Old World cities on the continent. Its museums hold some of the oldest and finest collections found anywhere. Its narrow, winding, cobbled streets meander through the city along-side a centuries-old canal system. With nearly every street lined with historic buildings, the best way to see this one-time capitol of Western Flanders is on foot. And walk we did for days, always going in a different direction!

Archeologists have found evidence that Bruges was the site of a Roman fortress, or at least an outpost.  Defensive mounds can be seen around the city boundaries. Old maps show a wall surrounding the city and some of the eight gates remain. An ancient powder tower that was part of the Middle Ages defensive system is still in place. In the 12^th century, Bruges was the economic capital of Europe, and the 14^th century was the Golden Age for the city.

In the 15th century, while England and France were slogging it out in a 100 years-long war, Bruges was at peace and the favored residence of the powerful and sophisticated Dukes of Burgundy. Commerce and the arts boomed. The trade center was due to a thriving wool and textile trade. Wealthy textile merchants built beautiful homes. The city, known for its fine lace work, has a long lace history dating back to the 15^th century.

By the 16th century, the city’s harbor silted up, and trade moved to the port of Antwerp thus collapsing the economy and ending Bruges' Golden Age. The town slumbered for generations and then, in the 20th century, tourists discovered its charms.

The very first day we learned that a Boys’ Choir was performing at the English Church that evening. Having missed the Vienna Boys’ Choir every time I’ve been in Vienna I was anxious to attend this concert. We left a briefing session just as the stupid questions started and  headed directly to the nearby church which we had scouted out earlier in the day. Warwickshire County Choristers was made up of 120 boys, ages 8-14. The director had a good sense of humor and the boys seemed to be having a fun time. They were touring, so we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time. What a bonus!   

ANCIENT RUINS

Old Roman Ruins

            After a late breakfast on our last day in Bruges, Belgium we headed out into the cold, windy, overcast day.

            Our first stop was less than a block away at the Crown Hotel. Located on the corner of the Burg, we’d heard there were visible ancient ruins in the hotel. We entered the lobby like we knew what we were doing and headed directly to a glassed wall pretty much opposite the entrance to see what might be behind. We glimpsed a couple of old stone pillars and then I suddenly heard English being spoken.

            With a quick check around the lobby we realized there was an English tour about ready to start. Quietly I said, “Let’s fall in behind those people and listen to what the fellow says and see what we can learn.”

            “It looks like an organized group.”

            “Just be quiet and see what happens. The worse they can do is ask us to leave.”

            We did, and were we lucky! Instead of just standing before the glass wall, the docent took the group down the stairs and after turning on some lights actually took us into the crypt and a large underground room of the old church of St. Donatius. The old foundation was beautifully built and pretty much complete.  The ruins were large and hidden switches bathed the area in light. It looked like meetings actually continue to take place in the basement of the hotel.

            Just before starting up the stairs we turned to the lady bringing up the rear, who at one time had looked at us suspiciously,  and thanked her for allowing us to tag along.

            From the Burg we ventured off with map in hand on a rather long walk to find the

Kempinski Hotel. For some reason this seemed a bit hidden and it took a bit of endurance to find it. We probably unknowingly took a circuitous route.

            Philip the Good built the initial estate in 1429 to celebrate his marriage to Isabelle of Portugal in 1430. Three days after the wedding celebrations Duke Philip founded the Prinsenhof in honor of his wife and to reward his loyal knights.

            When finished the estate was seven times its present size containing several buildings. The hotel now is owned by the Kempinski hotel chain that in 2003 restored this hotel to its previous splendor. The hotel is divided into two sections, the historic castle and the new part.  

            When I had seen the hotel in some travel literature I thought it would be fun to stay here, but it was no way as centrally located as our hotel, which was truly lovely. However, my curiosity had been satisfied and it was fun to speculate on centuries long gone!