Family house with a beautiful view in Damme

The Neighborhood

Although the Bruges region was already inhabited in Roman times, the name of the city first appears in the 9th century, perhaps a derivation from the Old Germanic word 'brugj' or landing stage. Bruges therefore has a special relationship with the sea. After all, water played a crucial role in the development of the city. Here a number of streams converged to form a river (the Reie), which drained northwards into the coastal plain. This river was connected to the North Sea via so-called 'tidal channels', a guarantee for prosperity and prosperity. Due to its favorable location and connection with the sea, Bruges developed early in the Middle Ages into an international and bustling trading city with a port. At the same time, the fortified fortress grew into a powerful political stronghold, thanks to the presence of the Flemish counts, who ruled the county of Flanders from Bruges. In the 13th century, Bruges could proudly call itself the most important trading center of Northwestern Europe. Traders from all over Europe settled in the city and the world's very first stock exchange was founded in Bruges. The exhibition activities took place on a square in front of the inn that belonged to the Van der Beurse family of estate agents in Bruges. In this way, their name was forever linked to the financial institution. Despite the typical medieval ailments, from epidemics to political unrest to social inequality, the inhabitants of Bruges were well off and soon the city acted as a magnet. Around 1340 the city had no fewer than 35 000 inhabitants. The success continued and in the 15th century, Bruges' Golden Age, things were even better. Since the end of the 14th century, Flanders belonged to the realm of the Burgundian dukes. They further expanded their residence in Bruges and the city quickly became a cultural hotspot. In addition to the traditional cloth, plenty of new luxury products were produced and sold. Famous painters such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling – the great Flemish primitives – found their creative place here. The fine arts reigned supreme and in addition to numerous beautiful churches and unique nation houses, the monumental town hall was also completed. Bruges seemed unapproachable. The sudden death of the beloved Queen Mary of Burgundy in 1482 heralded the turning point. The relationship between the inhabitants of Bruges and widower Maximilian of Austria soured and the Burgundian court left the city, with the international traders in its wake. Bruges' connection with the sea also quickly silted up. The Golden Age was over and long centuries of wars and power changes followed. After the independence of Belgium (1830) Bruges was a poor, impoverished city in the middle of the 19th century. Remarkably, a novel would help turn the tide. In “Bruges la Morte” by Georges Rodenbach (1892), Bruges is aptly described as a somewhat dozed, but very mysterious place. The 35 photos included in the book for illustrative purposes in particular made readers curious. Bruges' magnificent patrimony was soon rediscovered and its mysterious intimacy immediately became its greatest asset. Bruges thus carefully took its first tentative steps towards tourism. The desire to be connected to the sea resulted in a new international seaport at the end of the 19th century, which was given the name 'Zeebrugge'. During the First World War, Zeebrugge became a base for the German submarine fleet, controlled from the headquarters on the Brugse Markt. Both world wars left the historic city center virtually intact, which meant that Bruges' appeal continued to grow. And with success, because UNESCO promoted the entire medieval city center to World Heritage in 2000. The rest is history. The Burgundians already knew. Bruges is the foodie destination par excellence. Good for a unique and very varied offer. From award-winning star restaurants and authentic brown bars to world-famous ice cream bars and hip lunch spots to original brunch addresses, chocolatiers and fancy cocktail bars. Bet you're running out of time? Because Bruges always tastes good. Bruges is not just one of the gastronomic centers of Europe. Two renowned Bruges schools – Spermalie and Ter Groene Poorte – train culinary talent that is causing a furore internationally. The city is putting itself on the map with an impressive list of top restaurants. No fewer than 35 Bruges chefs receive a rating from Michelin, Gault & Millau and Bib Gourmand. Bruges residents like to drink a pint and the 500-year-old Café Vlissinghe with hundreds of beers on stock is a good example of this. The city can therefore boast of a few beers, which are brewed locally. Right in the historic city center you can visit the De Halve Maan brewery and the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery. De Halve Maan is a family business with a tradition of six generations of brewers since 1856. Here, among other things, the Brugse Zot, the official city beer, is brewed with passion. Bruges is easily reachable by car and train. For more detailed information we refer to the websites “visitbruges” en “dekust”.