Bruges is a traffic junction of streets and rails. Canals connect the city with Ostend, Ghent and the seaport of Zeebrugge. Brewery, shipbuilding, textile and chemical industry are the most important branches of industry, while the seaport and tourism are the city’s largest branches of economy. Bruges is also world-famous for its lace. Among lots of medieval buildings we recommend the Belfry and Halles - with a 83 m high clock tower from the 13th century -, St. Saviour’s Cathedral (13th-14th century), the Basilica of the Holy Blood (12th century), Old St. John’s Hospital (12th century), the Church of Our Lady (13th century) – with a 122 m high brick tower -, and the City Hall (14th century), which is one of the oldest gothic city halls of the Low Countries.
Online-Card - Brügge
Some highlights of the city art collection are the white marble
Madonna with Child by Michelangelo and paintings by the Flemish
masters Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck. Of course we should not
forget to mention the Beguinage, the Lake of Love and the canals.
In 2000 the complete town centre of Bruges was inscribed upon the
World Heritage List of the UNESCO Convention. And, together with
the Spanish town Salamanca, Bruges has been Cultural Capital of
Europe in 2002.
During the Middle Ages (13th till 15th century) Bruges called the tune on European level. Thanks to her direct sea route connection the city became the turning point of West European commercial traffic. The Flemish quality cloth was the most important export product. The merchants from northern areas met the representatives of the southern trading nations. Bruges kept one of the most important „Hanse Kontors“ in Europe. At present the remains of this sparkling trade history are still to be seen in the urban landscape. At the same time Bruges has kept its feeling for hospitality, due to its relationship with people of different nationalities throughout ages.
