During the seventeenth century various efforts to bring back the glorious past were taken. The maritime infrastructure was modernized, and new connections with the sea were built, but without much success. Bruges gradually disappeared from the picture and George Rodenbach even named it ‘Bruges-la-Morte’, meaning ‘Bruges-the-dead’. Only in the second half of the twentieth century has the city started to reclaim some of its past glory. International tourism has boomed and new efforts have resulted in Bruges being designated ‘cultural capital of Europe’ in 2002.

The first book in English ever printed was published in Bruges by William Caxton. Edward IV of England, Richard III of England, and Charles II of England all spent time in exile in Bruges.

Sights of Bruges

Like Ghent, but on a more concentrated scale, it has most of its medieval architecture intact. And there are many beautiful medieval buildings, including the Church of Our Lady, Europe’s highest brick tower/building. Other famous buildings are the Belfrey with its carillon, the Beguinage, the modern Concert Hall and the St-John Hospital.

Bruges also has a very fine collection of medieval and early modern art, including the world-famous collection of Flemish Primitives. Various masters, such as Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck, lived and worked in Bruges.

1. Sint-Salvator Cathedral
2. Groeningemuseum

Miscellaneous

The historic centre of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000[1]
Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin (1548-1620) was born in Bruges.

Sint-Salvator Cathedral

French NBA player Tony Parker was born in Bruges while his American father was playing professional basketball there.

The fictional character, Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movie series is also supposed to be from Bruges.

Several beers come from Bruges, such as Brugge Tripel (dark golden high fermentation beer), Brugge Blond (a lighter blond ale from the same brewery), Brugs Witbier or Blanche de Bruges, locally known as Brugs Tarwebier (a wheat beer currently brewed by Alken-Maes), Straffe Hendrik (either the blond brew or the stronger brown brew), and newcomer Brugse Zot (a pale ale launched in 2005).