Bruges

I decided (after having this page up for over a year) that I should change the Bruges page from a Gallery-style page to a Travel Portfolio to bring it more in line with what I have done with the other pages from Europe, and to do justice to one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I reprocessed over 250 images and compiled a selection of images and composites to make this page something special. I am also adding information on this fascinating city to try to convey some of the history and make it more interesting.

Bruges, known as the Venice of the North, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city center is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. The capital of the Belgian province of West Flanders, Bruges (or Brugge in Flemish) is the historical core of Flanders, where the first Count of Flanders built his fortress. With its access to the sea via the series of canals running through the city, Bruges built itself as an important international trading center and the market for Flemish cloth and lace, as well as an international financial center (Medici and Osterling Banks, and others) and the warehousing center for the Hansa or Hanseatic League (a medieval trading monopoly of cities and guilds, 13th-17th century).

With the silting up of the river Zwin in the 15th C., the competition with Antwerp and the reduced access to the sea caused a decline in Bruges’ importance as a trading and financial center, but they continued to build magnificent late-Gothic buildings until the city drifted into a several-century-long period of stagnation that ended with its discovery in the early 20th Century as a tourist attraction. The newly created harbor of Zeebrugge 10 miles from the city reawakened industrial development.

This page offers a detailed look at the historic Medieval center of Bruges.

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Market Square

Breydel deConinck Market Square 2087

The medieval heart of Bruges, the Market Square contains the Provincial Palace (right)
and the medieval Bell Tower and Cloth Market, and is surrounded by restaurants and shops.
The peaked roofs in the background are all restaurants, with shops starting on the far right.

The statue in the center of the square commemorates Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, the heroes of the Battle of Golden Spurs in 1302. The French King wanted to take over Flanders, which was formally a part of the French Kingdom, but which resisted French rule. Philip IV appointed a French Governor of Flanders and took hostage the Count of Flanders, instigating unrest. Citizens of Brugge (the Flemish spelling of Bruges) were exiled from their homes by French troops, but went back to the city and murdered every Frenchman they found there on May 18th, 1302. Philip IV sent a strong force under Robert of Artois, which was defeated by two groups of Flemish militia in a field outside the city, primarily due to poor strategy of the French and a sound position by the Flemish. No prisoners were taken, and the name of the battle is derived from the large number of golden spurs taken from the bodies of the dead French knights. The battle killed over 40% of the French nobility and the heads of over 75 French noble families, forcing all military leaders to rethink the use of cavalry in future battles. It was one of the worst defeats in French military history.

Breydel deConinck Market Square 2089

Breydel deConinck Market Square 2391

Bruges Market Square Restaurants 1935

These are 19th century reconstructions of the original buildings. The neo-Gothic Provincial Palace
was rebuilt after the original (water halls) were destroyed in 1787, and again in 1878 after a fire.

Provincial Palace 2200

The Provincial Palace houses the
Governor of the Province of West Flanders.

Provincial Palace 2203

It used to be the Water Hall (1294-1787),
used for offloading cargo carried on the canals.

Provincial Palace 2082

The brick building on the right of the
Palace is the Post Office Building

Provincial Palace 1205

A difficult 2/3 sec. handheld shot of the
Provincial Palace at night. I didn’t take a tripod
with me to Europe, so night shots were interesting.

Early AM Markt Square 2282

A shot taken just after sunrise... sans tourists (except myself, of course).

Bruges Bell Tower 2076

A tight shot of the upper Bell Tower past a
15th C. medieval house near Market Square.
The Octagonal upper section of the Bell Tower
was added to the square lower section in 1482
(upper sections of the original burned in 1280).

Bruges Bell Tower 2205

The Bell Tower and Cloth Hall (1240) dominate
the Market Square. The Cloth hall below the
tower was used as an indoor cloth market.
The Bell Tower housed important documents
and served as a watchtower and carillon.

Cloth Market Courtyard Entrance 1922

The rear entrance to the medieval courtyard of the Cloth Market, under and behind the Bell Tower.

Bruges Bell Tower 2206 M

Yes, in case you noticed, the tower actually does lean (about a meter) to the left.

This is a larger (M-sized, 1021 x 1547) image to allow examination of detail.

Bruges Bell Tower 2215

The obligatory night shot. This one was easier,
as I used the 28mm f/1.4 to shoot 1/40 sec. at f/2.

Bruges Bell Tower Sunrise 2285

A tight oblique view of the tower,
taken just before sunrise.

Bell Tower Carillon Movement 2922, 2925

This movement controls the 47 bells of the carillon (they also employ a full-time Bell Ringer
who occasionally gives impromptu concerts). The bells are unbelievably loud from inside the tower.
Climbing the 366 steps results in spectacular panoramic views of the city (several images below).

Aerial Bruges 2930

The view towards the north shows the river entering the city in the distance.
This leads to Zeebrugge, the new port which has revitalized the city’s trade.

Aerial Bruges detail 2954

A detail shot of the church and river shown at the top left of the previous image.

Cathedral Sint Salvator 2932

To the southwest, Cathedral Sint Salvator. Originally built in the 9th century, it was
a parish church in Bruges (the cathedral was Sint Donatius Church, which was destroyed
by the French during the Revolution). The oldest surviving part of the cathedral is the base of
the tower (11th C.), much of the rest was built over the later centuries. The upper part of the tower
was built after the fire of 1839, when William Chantrell (English architect) restored the cathedral.
Cathedral Sint Salvator contains many works of art from the destroyed Sint Donatius cathedral,
including tapestries manufactured locally in 1730 and the original paintings they were made
from (an unusual combination), and the weapons of the Knights of the Golden Fleece.

The Order of the Golden Fleece is an Order of Chivalry similar to the English Order of the Garter.
It was founded in 1430 by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy when he was elected to the Order of the Garter
but had to decline to avoid offending the King of France. The weapons on display in Sint Salvator are
those of the original 24 Knights elected at the meeting that founded the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Cathedral Sint Salvator 2946

Aerial Bruges 2944

A medieval turret overlooks the
courtyard of an enormous mansion.

Sint Salvator Onze-Lieve-Vrouw 2942

Looking south (nearly into the sun, thus the lowered contrast on the left side of the frame)
allows a view of both the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw (Our Lady) Church and the Cathedral of Sint Salvator.

Aerial Bruges Town Hall 2936

Looking down on the Burg Square (the administrative center of the city). The large Gothic
building in the center with the spires is the City Hall (1376), behind it is Rozenhoedkaai. There
will be more detail on Burg Square and Rozenhoedkaai as you progress further down the page.

Aerial Bruges Town Hall Towers 2950c

A pair of crops from a single image showing detail of some of the Town Hall’s Gothic spires.
Three of the pilasters on the side facing the square end in octagonal turrets (one shown at left).

Burg Square

Bruges Town Hall Civil Registry 2105

On the right, the Gothic Town Hall, built in 1376, on the left the Renaissance Civil Registry (1534).
The Town Hall has 49 niches containing statues of the Counts of Flanders from Boudewijn (Baldwin)
of the Iron Arm (the first Count of Flanders) through succeeding rulers (and include one knight). The
original statues were destroyed during the French Revolution, but were replaced in the 19th century.
This was one of the first non-secular Gothic buildings of its nature, and was imitated by Brussels,
Antwerp, and other Flemish cities. The Civil Registry is crowned by statues “Justice”, “Moses”
and Aaron (and attendants). These statues are also replacements of the originals, destroyed
in the aftermath of the Revolution. The Registry was used as a Court between 1883-1984.

Civil Registry 2653

Aaron Civil Registry 2652

Civil Registry 1233

Another very difficult 2/3 sec. haldheld shot.
Normally, use of a tripod for shots like these
is mandatory, but I had fast lenses with me
and I knew that a tripod could not be used
in Rome or Florence so I left it behind.

Civil Registry Town Hall 1228

The arch between the buildings leads
to Blinde Ezelstraat (blind donkey street),
site of the entrance to the original fortress
of Baldwin Iron Arm, 1st Count of Flanders.

I certainly was getting a lot of practice
at handheld night shots. (this is 3/4 sec.)

Justice Civil Registry 2388

Moses Civil Registry 2386

Blinde Ezelstraat 2378

This alley between the rear of the City Hall and Civil Registry buildings is Blind Donkey Street.
It is the site of the original fortress of Boudewijn (Baldwin) Iron Arm, the first Count of Flanders.
The hinge to the Gates still exists in the middle of the street (seen on the walls in this image).

Boudewijn Iron Arm met, spent time with, then eloped with Judith, daughter of the Carolingian
King of West Francia Charles the Bald. Charles had not given permission and tried to capture
Baldwin, but they evaded his net and escaped to Rome to plead with Pope Nicholas I (Charles
had the couple excommunicated when he couldn’t catch them). Their plea was successful and
Charles was forced to accept their desire to marry. Charles granted the county of Flanders to
Baldwin, creating a buffer between France and Germany. Baldwin was instrumental in the
continuing wars with the Vikings, and he expanded his territories to Ghent and Courtrai.

Boudewijn Civil Registry 2382

Boudewijn Civil Registry 2914

Boudewijn Civil Registry 2384 M

This larger, M-sized image (859 x 1422) allows examination of the ornate Renaissance facade.

Gothic Statuary Town Hall 2608 M

An oblique view of the front of the Town Hall showing many of the Counts and Countesses.
This is a larger, M-sized image (1046 x 1582) to allow examination of detail.

Gothic Statuary Town Hall 2111

Lower left center is the single knight.

Gothic Statuary Town Hall 2637c

A detail crop of two of the statues.

The full length of these statues are
shown in the composite below.

Gothic Statuary Town Hall 2613, 2637

Town Hall Medieval Tapestry 2630

A 15th century Gobelins tapestry hanging on a wall in the Town Hall.

Burg Square at Dawn 2271

In the center is the Chapel of the Holy Blood, detailed below.

Chapel of the Holy Blood

A series of images taken on different days, at different times of day.

Chapel of the Holy Blood 2117

Chapel of the Holy Blood 2119

The Chapel of the Holy Blood holds a relic that legend says was brought to Bruges
after the second Crusade by Thierry of Alsace (around 1150). Recent research found no
mention of the presence of the relic prior to 1250. Current thought is that it originated from
the 1204 sack of Constantinople by Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders (4th Crusade). It is a rock
crystal vial purportedly containing cloth with the Blood of Christ. Since arriving in Bruges, the vial
has never been opened. The vial dates to the 11th-12th C. and was made to contain perfume.

The church was originally built in Romanesque style (like the Basilius Chapel on the lower floor)
in the 12th century, but was changed to Gothic style in the 15th century and modified in 1823.
The facade was originally constructed in late-Gothic and Renaissance styles in the 16th C.
but was destroyed along with many other things of beauty in the aftermath of the French
Revolution. It was restored in the early 1800s. The statues represent Flemish Counts.
The Chapel was upgraded to a Basilica in 1923, but is still referred to as a Chapel.

Chapel of the Holy Blood 2610

Chapel of the Holy Blood at dawn 1203

An annual Procession of the Holy Blood is held each May. It travels through the streets of
Bruges, with people dressed as Crusaders and in other historical costumes in a reenactment
of Count Baldwin IX bringing the relic of the Holy Blood back from the Crusades to Bruges.

Below is a series of detail shots of the medieval statuary representing
Nobles and Knights on the facade of the Chapel of the Holy Blood.

Chapel of the Holy Blood 2643

The gilded bronze statues represent the Archduchess Isabelle of Burgundy, Mary of Burgundy,
Thierry of Alsace and Philip of Alsace. The medallions represent the Archduke of Austria Albert VII,
Archduke of Austria Maximilian III, Margaret of York and Sibylla of Anjou (wife of Thierry of Alsace,
and the daughter of King Fulk, Count of Anjou and the King of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1143).

Chapel of the Holy Blood 2401

These images are from different days, and at different times of day, thus the differences in color.

Chapel of the Holy Blood Statuary 2403, 2406

Chapel of Holy Blood 1220, 2406

For those interested in the continuing saga of the ridiculous handheld night shots, the one
to the left in this composite is a 1 second shot that strained my credibility when I saw the results
(1 second is a very long time handheld, and rarely yields a clean result due to camera shake).

I am providing a 1:1 crop below of the turret on the end of the City Hall building behind the Chapel.
(For those who are understandably skeptical, check the EXIF data. I had trouble believing it too).

TurretDetail_CityHall_1220-1

Turret Detail, City Hall 1220-1
(a 1:1 crop from Chapel of the Holy Blood 1220, no linked image)

Bishop’s Palace Burg Square 2124

This used to be the Dean’s House for the Deans of the Church of St. Donatius, which was
just out of picture to the right. The church, built by the third Count of Flanders (Arnulf I) in 900,
was razed to the ground in the aftermath of the French Revolution (they certainly did destroy a
lot of beautiful and historic things, along with beheading anyone aristocratic or annoying).
After things settled down, a Bishop was assigned to Bruges again, and this became
the Bishop’s Palace. The building is in the Baroque style, making Burg Square
a display of many styles: Gothic, Renaissance, neo-Classical (the former
Court of Justice, which is not pictured), and Baroque (this building).

Shops, Houses, and Canal Scenes

Shopping in Bruges 1954, 1963

Just off the Market Square are many small streets with shops, restaurants, chocolatiers,
and numerous pubs (Belgian ales, Trappist Ales, and Lambics must be tried if you like beer).

In this section are a number of shots taken while I was scouting before the training session that
I gave in Bruges, along with shots taken during the session of buildings and canal scenes.

Bruges Street Scene 1977

Bruges Snackshop 1993

Bruges Street Scene 2029

A row of houses leading from the rear entrance of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church (where the statue
of the Madonna and Child is mounted (shown further down the page) to the park behind Gruuthuse.
The archway (far left) leads into the edge of the park between Gruuthuse and the rear of the church.
A detail shot of the medieval house and archway at the end of this row is the next image below.

Bruges Street Scene 2033

Canal House 2066

One of the beautiful medieval houses on a
canal, framed by weeping willows and water.

The architecture around Bruges is simply
breathtaking. You’ll see more below.

Bruges Golden Gast house 2043

This is my favorite house in Bruges. It lies at the end of the park between Gruuthuse and
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church. The bridge you see in the foreground was built by the lord of Bruges
(Lodewijk van Gruuthuse) to ford the canal between the Gruuthuse backyard and Onze-Lieve-Vrouw,
to avoid walking around the canal when the family went to church. It is quite popular as a location for
wedding photos. The archway at the end of the bridge is what I used to create the vignettes you will
see later in two of my shots of the Church (laying on the floor below the archway). I have several
shots of this house, from several angles and at various times of day, further down this page.

The reason I call this the Golden Gast House is the inlaid stone shown below that is
mounted above and to the right of the archway (click for a larger version).

Golden Gast 2469

Canal House 2070

Yet another magnificent (and enormous) house abutting a canal in Bruges.

Lace Shop Window 2095

From the 10th century, Bruges’ was the
leading producer of cloth in Europe. Clothing at
the French Court was mostly made of cloth from
Bruges. The high production levels strained the
local supplies of wool, so they imported wool
from England. They created the International
Gothic Fashion Style, advertising via the
work of Flemish portrait painters.

Canal Scene 2130

Tourists take boat trips through the canals.
These canals facilitated transport through the
city and to the port until the river silted up.

The English eventually created a local cloth
industry in the 16th century. The loss of a primary
source of wool along with the silting up of the river
and the competition from Antwerp caused the
eventual loss of Bruges’ main livelihood, and
the city entered a three century decline.

Canal Scene 2145

Heading back towards the center city,
here are more houses and warehouses
on a canal. Stepped gables are on nearly
every building in this part of the city.

Bruges Street 2167

Bruges Stepped Gable 1981

A detail shot of a stepped gable, with a gargoyle guardian on top.

Bruges Schoolhouse 2199

Even the schoolhouse is gabled
and turreted. Nice sunset light, too...

Bruges Schoolhouse 2313

Shot the following morning, this is another
of the school buildings (note the gables).

Canal Sunrise 2326

Swan of Bruges 2347

One of the symbols of Bruges, swans are
often found on the Minnewater and the various
canals, and are mascots for the town of Bruges.

Canal Scene 2349

Canal Scene 2366

Bruges Golden Gast house 2441

Modern Gothic Bay Window 2586

Bruges Golden Gast house 2449

I told you I liked this house... I used it often to teach composition and difficult exposure techniques.

Medieval Storefront 2604

Bruges Toyshop 2788

Some of the stores haven’t changed much since
the early Middle Ages (see left). Others are
quite modern... for instance this cute little
toy shop across from the Brewery.

Duc de Bourgogne 2684

Originally named “Den Hollander” when built in 1648, this is the oldest hotel in Bruges.
It was renamed Duc de Bourgogne when it was rebuilt after WW II. Located just behind the
Burg Square, this hotel is on the right side of the Rozenhoedkaai (Quai of the Rosary).

Bruges dawn Street 2711

Bruges Golden Gast house Dawn 2728

Two very difficult shots taken at dawn. The wide
dynamic range and color balance issues were
used to help train the group of photographers
(plus both make attractive scenic images).

Bruges house Sunrise 2750

An early 18th century house, just before sunrise.

Beguinage at Sunrise 2764

Just behind the Minnewater is the Beguinage ‘de Wijngaard’ (Vineyard). A walled group of houses
surrounding a garden interspersed with large poplar and willow trees, the Beguinage was founded by
the Countess of Flanders in 1245 (Margaretha of Constantinople, daughter of Count Baldwin IX, who
conquered Constantinople and brought the vial of Holy Blood to Bruges). It was created to house those
people who believed in a purer, more mystical religion than that espoused by the material and formal
aspirations of the regular clergy. They were distrusted and often persecuted by the church, but in the
Netherlands and Belgium, the female followers of this movement were tolerated in the form of
the ‘Beguine’ movement, and were allowed to live in separate areas (the Beguinages).
This allowed the church to control them. The Beguines lived like normal nuns, but
did not take the same vows (plus, they could leave when they wanted to).

Most Beguinages that still exist are museums or houses for the elderly,
and are in northern Belgian cities such as Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, etc.

Bruges House at Sunrise 2768

This house abuts the Minnewater, a large
lake-reservoir where the river Reie enters
the city, used to regulate the level of canals.

Bruges House at Sunrise 2773

The house across the street looked very
attractive in the dappled light. The multicolored
brickwork and unusual brick layout are interesting.

Brouwery Henri Maes 2794

The Henri Maes Brewery now makes a new
brand (Bruges Lunatic). This doesn’t make
you go nutty... it’s a reference to the moon.

Brouwery Henri Maes 2798

The family sold the original brand name of
Straffe Hendrik to a larger brewery, and reverted
to their original brewery name of Half Moon.

Rozenhoedkaai Bruges 2868

Rozenhoedkaai (Quai of the Rosary) is in a wide L-shaped lake in the canal behind Burg Square.
The quai to the far right (out of picture) is where many of the canal boats pick up their passengers.

Rozenhoedkaai Bruges 2856

Rozenhoedkaai Bruges 2874

Rozenhoedkaai Bruges 2870

This beautiful shot across Rozenhoedkaai has it all: swans in the lake,
a spectacular turreted, willow-shaded mansion, and a rainbow leading to the
Bell Tower. You can even see the statue of Jan Nepomucenes (far left on the bridge).

Skyline shots

Bruges Dawn Skyline 2261

I simply had to wake up before dawn to try hanging out my window and shooting this scene.

Bruges Medieval Skyline 1196

While the skyline is not quite as dramatic
in late-afternoon or mid-day (right), it is still
a pretty neat scene, don’t you think?

Bruges Medieval Skyline 1919

I never did see this scene with a clear sky
and the little puffy clouds that add character
(like those in the image below)... sigh.

Bruges Medieval Skyline 2363

Turrets and towers and spires... Fantasyland.

Gruuthusemuseum

Gruuthusemuseum 2419

The Gruuthuse means the house of Gruut (Gruut is the Flemish word for peeled barley or wheat). Gruut was the principal ingredient for beer brewing in the Middle Ages, and the Lords of Bruges had a monopoly on the sale of this product, which made them very wealthy and powerful. Lodewijk (Lewis of Bruges, 1422-1492), the most prominent and well-known of his family, was a successful tournament knight, attracting the attention of Philip the Good, Duke of Flanders during the highest point of the wealth of Bruges. He was made Philip’s squire.

As a courtier, Lewis met with the high nobility of Europe, learning diplomacy and strengthening his position at court until winter 1452-53, when the Salt War with Ghent occurred. Lewis was made Governor of Bruges, and in the spring was made a commander of the Duke’s army. He was knighted on the battlefield and was the commander of the rearguard when the Ghent army was destroyed. After this, he became a trusted councillor to the Duke and was given even more power in Bruges.

The wealth this brought allowed him to build the Gruuthuse, marry Margaretha, lady of Borssele (related to the Scottish and French royal families and the Duke), and begin a lifelong collection of manuscripts that included the Gruuthuse Manuscript, a medieval compilation of songs, poems and prayers put to rhyme (dated 1395 -1408) that forms the only known source for a number of Middle Dutch texts.

Gruuthusemuseum 2013

The towers of this part of the palace abut
the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church. This is one
of the most attractive rooflines I saw in Bruges.

Gruuthusemuseum 2019

A closer detail shot of this roofline.
There are a number of other views below,
from both sides of the building and closeups.

Gruuthusemuseum Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church 2413

The main palace on the right side (with the small turret and flag) forms the right leg of a
U-shaped courtyard, which terminates at the other end in the beautiful red ivy-covered round
turret shown in other images below. The Gruuthuse house finally became a pawnshop in 1628
upon the demise of power of the family (and the city of Bruges), then it was renovated in 1883-98
and became the city archaeological museum, displaying lace, tapestry, paintings, furniture, etc.

Gruuthusemuseum 2420

Gruuthusemuseum Towers 2464

Gruuthusemuseum Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Roofline 2848

Gruuthusemuseum Courtyard 2422

This shot is down about 70% of the length of the palace, on the right side of the courtyard.

Gruuthusemuseum Courtyard 2428

These three shots show much of the interior
courtyard of the Gruuthuse. The building at the
left is the one with the red ivy-covered round
turret (out of the picture to the far left).

Gruuthusemuseum Courtyard dawn 2830

The image above was taken at dawn on my
last day in Bruges. The other two were taken
late in the afternoon, two days before this shot.

Gruuthusemuseum 2416

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church Sunrise Vignette 2746

Right next door to the Gruuthuse is the Church of Our Lady, with its blending of several
architectural styles (late-Romanesque, Scheldt-Gothic, French Gothic and contemporary).
The building to the right of the tower in the photograph is the rear of the Gruuthuse Palace.

The tower is the tallest tower in Bruges, one meter shorter than the tallest tower in Belgium
(the Cathedral of Antwerp tower is 123 meters). It is also the 2nd-tallest brickwork tower in the
world behind the Chrysler building. Construction was begun around 1250 and continued through
the 15th century. The church contains the only sculpture by Michelangelo that left Italy during his
lifetime, the Madonna with Child. Originally made for the Cathedral of Siena, it was brought to
Bruges by two merchants after their Italian business trip. Michelangelo had quarreled with
Francesco Piccolomini (later Pope Pius III), so their deal for 15 statues for Siena ended.
Michelangelo had a reputation for annoying his patrons so this situation wasn’t all that
unusual. The church has lost and recovered the statue twice to marauding invaders.
It was stolen by French Revolutionaries in 1794 (them again), and Nazis in 1944.

The church also contains the tombs of the last Valois Duke of Burgundy
(Charles the Bold) and his daughter, the Duchess Mary. Their gilded
bronze crowned effigies lie on polished slabs of black marble in
the choir. Charles’ effigy is in full armor, and Mary is draped
in a representation of swaths of elaborate Bruges cloth.
Charles tomb is early-Renaissance style, and
Mary’s is decorated in late-Gothic style.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church 2039

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church 2045

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church Sunrise 2734

The tower is so tall that it is impossible to control perspective, so after a few documentary shots
and the first vignette, taken from the floor under the Golden Gast arch (across the bridge seen earlier),
I started trying to use the radical perspective to create some unusual photographs. This sunrise shot
was taken from the little garden of trees below the tower (shown in the previous image) and was
taken at a steep vertical angle. I completed a vignette using the trees. Trying to be creative...

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Towers 2813

Note the Gothic buttress in front of the tower.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Tower Detail 2501

A detail shot (85mm) from a shallower angle.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church Sunrise 2745

Again, the height of the tower makes the perspective shift radically, so I used it to advantage.

In this image, shot three minutes after the vignette with the sun behind a cloud (softening the light),
I lined up the Gruuthuse Palace on the lower edge of the frame and aligned the tower with the
left corner, drawing the eye up the tower. Unusual compositions, but I like the perspective.

Madonna and Child 2023

Madonna and Child 2490

Behind the church, this statue stands above
the medieval oak door. It is at the head of the
street leading to the arch (Street Scene 2029).

Onze-Liev-Vrouw Arch Detail 2482

Madonna and Child 2487, 2496

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church Archway 2821

This archway passes between the Gruuthuse Palace and the Tower, leading to the small garden
behind the church, which leads to the bridge, Golden Gast House, and the Gruuthuse Palace yard.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church Vignette 2831

A final vignette taken from the floor of the Golden Gast archway, this time in full sunlight.
For this shot, the camera is pointing up at a 45-degree angle, and it is exceedingly difficult
to line everything up unless you have a right-angle viewfinder (I don’t). It’s worth the effort though.

St. Johns Hospital 2509

Not far from Onze-Lieve-Vrouw church is the
medieval St. John’s Hospital. Dating from the
12th century, it is one of the oldest hospitals in
Europe. It was built to provide housing and care
for pilgrims and travelers (during the Middle Ages
people went to hospitals to get a roof, food, and
religious assistance when dying). Expanded
many times over the years, it finally closed
after 8 centuries in the 1970s when a new
general hospital was built in Bruges.

St. Johns Hospital Onze-Lieve-Vrouw 2514

It was transformed into a museum and meeting
center. The old chapel now houses the Memling
Museum (Hans Memling lived at the hospital for
many years, and four of the paintings were for
the sisters). Other buildings are now used for
meetings, conventions and exhibition halls.

Over the centuries, St. John’s was an example
for hospitals all over Europe, and was a well
known teaching hospital for young doctors.

Statues in Bruges

Bruges Bust 2376

Frank van Acker, Burgomeister (1929-82)

Canal Houses 2897

Houses behind the statue (on a different day).

Happy Travelers 2804

This statue is in the square in front of the Henri Maes Brewery. That may explain their
happy-go-lucky mood, but what about the horse? Things that make you go “Hmmmmm...”.