Bruges

Saint John’s Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in Europe, dating back to the mid 12th century. Visit the medieval wards, as well as the church and the chapel, and marvel at the impressive collection of archives, art works, medical instruments and six paintings by Hans Memling, including the famous Ursula Shrine. Also visit the hospital pharmacy and the Diksmuide attic, boasting one of Europe’s oldest and most monumental roof support structures.

After its thorough renovation, the palace of the lords of Gruuthuse now leads you through three crucial periods in Bruges’ history: the Burgundian heyday, the lesser-known 17th and 18th centuries, and the historical ‘reinvention’ of the city in the 19th century. These periods are brought to life through a varied collection of objects, each one telling its own story. Don’t miss out on the authentic medieval prayer chapel, which overlooks the choir of the Church of Our Lady.

The most striking tower in Bruges dates back to the 13th century. It is 83 metres high and is protected as a world heritage site. Anyone who climbs all 366 steps will be rewarded with a stunning view over the city and its surroundings. On your way up, you can pause at the treasury, which held the city’s charters, seals and coffers during the Middle Ages. A few steps further on you will see the impressive music drum that operates the carillon and the keyboard used by the city carillonneur to play the tower’s 47 carillon bells. Bruges’ Belfry has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999.

The monumental City Hall (1376-1421) is one of the oldest in the Low Countries. It is from here that the city has been governed for more than 600 years. An absolute masterpiece is the Gothic Hall, with its impressive vault and 20th century murals depicting the history of Bruges. The adjacent historic hall sheds further light on the governance of Bruges over the centuries, using original documents and paintings. On the ground floor, you are brought face to face with life-size portraits of the city’s rulers and can also learn more about the evolution of the Burg.

The St. Magdalene’s Church, built in the mid-19th century, was one of the earliest neo-Gothic churches on the European mainland. This style of architecture, first made popular in England, was brought to Bruges by British immigrants. That is how the Neo-Gothic appeared in the streets of Bruges quite early. Inside the church you can make your acquaintance with YOT, an organisation that explores the meaning of the Christian tradition in modern society.

This simple Gothic single-nave church, built in the 17th century, surprises with the opulence of its rich Baroque interior – the result of donations by wealthy local patrons. Admire the intricacy of the marble rood screen, the rich wooden panelling with inset confessional booths, the canvases of Jan Garemijn and the largest single painting in all Bruges.

In St. Giles’s Church, the only one in the city centre with a tower clock, many of the great Bruges artists have been buried. These include Hans Memling, Lanceloot Blondeel and Pieter Pourbus. The church originally dates from the 13th century, but was extensively rebuilt in the 15th century. The exterior is a fine example of the robust Brick Gothic style, while the interior has a more refined 19th-century Neo-Gothic look.

In the second quarter of the 13th century, the modest St. James’s Chapel was elevated to the status of a parish church. During the 15th century, this simple house of prayer was extended to its current size. The church is now famous for its rich collection of art treasures, donated by wealthy local people living nearby, and for its fine examples of funerary art.

The Adornes domain consists of the mansion of the rich Adornes family of merchants. The 15th-century Jerusalem Chapel (built by this family) and a series of adjacent almshouses. In the multimedia museum, you step back in time to explore the life of Anselm Adornes and the Burgundian world in which he lived. Also enjoy a pleasant break in the elegant and familial atmosphere of the Scottish Lounge.

The Lace Centre has been housed in the renovated old lace school of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The story of Bruges lace is told in the lace museum on the ground floor. Multimedia installations and testimonies from international lace experts help to explain the various different types of lace and their geographical origin, and focus on the lace industry and lace education in Bruges. Demonstrations (2pm–5pm, not on Sunday) and various courses are organised in the lace workshop on the second floor.

Brewery De Halve Maan in the centre of Bruges is a family business with a tradition stretching back through six generations to 1856. This is where the Bruges city beer — the Brugse Zot — is brewed: a strong-tasting, high-fermentation beer based on malt, hops and special yeast. In 2016 a unique underground beer pipeline, some 3 km long, was laid from the brewery to the bottling plant in the suburbs. Guided tours and beer tastings is are offered.

Discover in an interactive way everything you ever wanted to know about the raw ingredients of beer, the brewing process, food pairing, beer in Bruges, trappist and abbey beers, etc. Children follow the Kids Tour, which tells the story of the Bruges bear. Would you just like to sample some beers? The bar and its 16 different kinds of beer is open to everyone and has a great view over the Market Square.

In the Historium, you quite literally step back in time. In different ways you will be able to learn about the vibrant city of Bruges during the Golden Century. Historium Story tells the love story of Jan van Eyck’s apprentice, Jacob. After that, you can discover more about Bruges in the Middle Ages in the Historium Exhibition. Historium Virtual Reality takes you back to the year 1435, allowing you to sail virtually into the old city port, where you will fly past the Water Halls and the Saint Donatian’s Church, both of which have long since disappeared. The Historium Tower takes you up the 30-metre high Neo-Gothic tower for a stunning view over the Markt.

Lumina Domestica lamp museum contains the world’s largest collection of lamps and lights. More than 6,000 antiques tell the complete story of interior lighting, from the torch and paraffin lamp to the light bulb and LED. The small detour into the world of luminous animals and plants is particularly interesting. In this way you can discover, for example, the light mysteries of the glow-worm, the lantern fish and the small Chinese lantern.

In the Cloth Halls, you can admire a fantastic collection of world-famous graphics and statues by the great artist Salvador Dalí. They are all authentic works of art that are described in the Catalogues Raisonnés, which details Salvador Dalí’s oeuvre. The collection is presented in a sensational Daliesque decor of mirrors, gold and shocking pink.