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Location Information:
Bruges
is the capital and largest city of
the province of West Flanders in the
Flemish Region of Belgium. It is
located in the northwest of the
country.
The
historic city centre is a prominent
World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is
egg-shaped and about 430 hectares in
size. The area of the whole city
amounts to more than 13,840
hectares, including 1,075 hectares
off the coast, at Zeebrugge (meaning
"Brugge aan Zee" or "Bruges on
Sea"). The city's total population
is 117,073 (1 January 2008),[3] of
which around 20,000 live in the
historic centre. The metropolitan
area, including the outer commuter
zone, covers an area of 616 kmē and
has a total of 255,844 inhabitants
as of 1 January 2008.
Along
with a few other canal-based
northern cities, such as Amsterdam,
it is sometimes referred to as "The
Venice of the North". Bruges has a
significant economic importance
thanks to its port. At one time it
was the "chief commercial city" of
the world
Bruges
has most of its medieval
architecture intact. The historic
centre of Bruges has been a UNESCO
World Heritage Site since 2000.
Many of its medieval buildings are
notable, including the Church of Our
Lady, whose brick spire reaches
122.3 m (401.25 ft), making it one
of the world's highest brick
towers/buildings. The sculpture
Madonna and Child, which can be seen
in the transept, is believed to be
Michelangelo's only sculpture to
have left Italy within his lifetime.
Bruges' most famous landmark is its
13th-century belfry, housing a
municipal carillon comprising 48
bells. The city still employs a
full-time carillonneur, who gives
free concerts on a regular basis.
Other
famous buildings in Bruges include:
The Beguinage
The Basilica of the Holy Blood
(Dutch: Heilig-Bloedbasiliek). The
relic of the Holy Blood, which was
brought to the city after the Second
Crusade by Thierry of Alsace, is
paraded every year through the
streets of the city. More than 1,600
inhabitants take part in this
mile-long religious procession, many
dressed as medieval knights or
crusaders.
The modern Concertgebouw ("Concert
Building")
The Old St-John's Hospital
The Saint Salvator's Cathedral
The Groeningemuseum
The City Hall on the Burg square
The Provincial Court (Provinciaal
Hof)
The
preserved old city gateways: the
Kruispoort, the Gentpoort, the
Smedenpoort and the Ezelpoort. The
Dampoort, the Katelijnepoort and the
Boeveriepoort are gone.
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.
Local
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