Theme

• The flow of time

  The history of Bruges is like a stream that has shaped the city over the centuries. From a modest settlement on the banks of the River Reie to a thriving trade metropolis in the Middle Ages. A history of wealth and influence. But the stream also experienced periods of decline and setbacks, when the city had to defend its position and reinvent its identity. Today, Bruges is a city that cherishes its past, while being open to the future, a city that allows itself to be carried away by the flow of time. 

  • Bruges, a city in the flow

    Bruges grew into an economic hub in Europe from the 12th century onwards, thanks to its location on the North Sea and Hanseatic League membership. In the 15th century, the city reached its peak as a trade metropolis and cultural centre, which is still reflected in its Gothic city palaces and churches. 

    From the late 15th century, Bruges lost importance due to the silting up of the Zwin, the rise of Antwerp and political unrest. Trade stagnated, and by the mid-19th century, Bruges was the poorest city in Flanders. Measures such as beggars’ homes provided some support. 

    In the late 19th century, Bruges rediscovered its Gothic heritage and took its first steps in tourism. The construction of the port of Zeebrugge brought economic revival, and in 2000 Bruges was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. 

    

  • Oldest map of Flanders: waterways dominate.

    The oldest map of Flanders was made in Bruges in 1452. It features in the final pages of a manuscript on the history of Flanders. The chronicle in the manuscript is an anonymous Italian translation of the Excellente cronike van Vlaenderen, presumably by an Italian expat in 15th-century Bruges. 

    At first glance, the map seems simple, but its creator knew what he was doing. The focus of this map is on the waterways that connect village and town centres in the region. Nearly all of the 100 names mentioned on this map are located by a watercourse or coastline. In addition to the watercourses, the map sporadically shows some other natural elements. 

    Moreover, connecting roads on land are extremely scarce on this map. The creator paid remarkable attention to the waterways. The presence of locks also indicates some experience with travelling by water. Since the map and text are by an Italian in Bruges, that could be true.  

    Text: Bruges Public Library 

    Interesting links:

    • The oldest map (with annotations) can be found here (click on “Map of Flanders 1452”).
    • Far too short a connection of Bruges to the sea on Marcus Gerard’s map. You can find this in the collection of Bruges’s Gruuthusemuseum.
    • On Bruges and the sea: a display at the Bruges City Archives.

    

  • From Holy Water to Bruges’s ‘reitjes’

    The ‘reitjes’ owe their name to the Reie, a river that flowed from Torhout to Bruges. There, it flowed into an estuary, the Sincfal, which silted up to present-day ’t Zwin.  The name Reie comes from the Celtic word Rogia, meaning “Holy Water”. The Celts are known to have regarded rivers and springs as divine beings. 

    More information

    

  • A stream across the canal

    As early as in the Middle Ages, close relations existed between Bruges and England. Economically, Bruges’s economy depended on the supply of English sheep’s wool. But the two also rubbed shoulders politically. When members of the English royal family were in trouble, they often fled to Bruges. 

    For example, Queen Emma (circa 985-1052) spent some time in Bruges because of political unrest in England. This earned her a special place in the city’s history. A 1040 poem of praise to Queen Emma writes that a small fleet sailed from England to Bruges. Many centuries later, King Charles II did the same when he fled from Cromwell in the 1650s. The king granted Bruges Fishing Privileges (preserved in the Bruges City Archives): 50 Bruges fishing boats would be allowed to fish in English waters indefinitely. 

    It was not only the nobles who found their way to Bruges. Noble unknowns also made the crossing in the 19th century, for various reasons. As is often the case with historiography, it is a lot more difficult to gain insight into the stories and living conditions of these rather modal expats. Yet there are sources that give a hint: the Guido Gezelle Archive, for instance, preserves letters from Gezelle’s English contacts in Bruges. Among them are quite a few women. 

    But the most illustrious English statesman to ever descend on Bruges was undoubtedly Winston Churchill. In a now-famous photograph, he – an avid amateur painter – takes a seat along the Groenerei to paint a cityscape. 

    Picture: Erfgoedcel Brugge

    

  • Godfroid Coucke and Bruges water tourism

    Godfroid Coucke, born in Bruges on 3 January 1877, was a pioneer of Bruges water tourism. At the beginning of the 20th century, he started offering tourist cruises on the canals of Bruges with six rowing boats. Although he was not the first, Brussels entrepreneur Jules Vander Schueren was granted a licence to operate gondolas on the canals of Bruges as early as 1905, Coucke remains an important figure in the history of Bruges water tourism. 

    He rented out his boats without a guide, offering tourists the unique experience of exploring the beautiful surroundings on their own. He later added two motorboats to his fleet.  His initiative was perfectly aligned with emerging tourism, especially among English visitors. Mayor Visart de Bocarmé had already identified tourism as a spearhead to strengthen Bruges economically. Coucke’s first jetty was in the Groeninge, later moving to the Dyver, where bootexcursies Gruuthuse became a household name.   

    Text & image: Bruges Heritage Unit 

    

  • Water and its role in Bruges’s image as a tourist destination

    In the late 19th century, then-Mayor Visart de Bocarmé decided to pull Bruges out of its economic impasse with two initiatives: the expansion of the port of Zeebrugge and tourism. With its medieval art treasures and architectural heritage, Bruges had all the makings of a tourist success. From then on, water played an important role in the – romantic – image of Bruges. Engravings, etchings, lithographs all feature the same buildings, squares and, of course, bridges. This imagery was later continued on postcards.

    In the 20th and 21st centuries, the romantic image of medieval Bruges was cultivated to attract tourists and to this day, Bruges’s canals remain a major attraction. Just take a look at the Visit Bruges Instagram page and their photos.

    Source: The Liquid Gold by Mia Lingier and Edmond Coucke

    

  • Grains of Paradise: non-European influences in the history of Bruges

    For Triennial Bruges: Spaces of Possibility, Sumayya Vally drew inspiration for her work Grains of Paradise from the rich trading history of Bruges, which had its heyday in the 14th and 15th centuries with the import and export of goods. To this day, the past is reflected in the streetscape, ranging from the nation houses to the hoisting beams on the waterfront and the rich collection of objects in the recently restored Gruuthusepaleis. Mustard pots, tapestries and dyes referred to the import of spices, precious stones and pigments from faraway places. 

    The historical connection between the medieval trading city and the African continent inspired Sumayya Vally to research the relationships between the two from a non-Eurocentric perspective. Exactly which exotic goods were imported or exported, and what social and economic impact did this exchange have on Africa? 

    More information: Grains of Paradise | Triënnale Brugge 

    More information

    

• Flow of ingenuity

  In the exact sciences, such as physics, ‘flow’ refers to the movement of matter or energy, such as electric current or fluid flow, and is crucial for understanding natural phenomena. In the human sciences, such as economics and sociology, ‘flow’ denotes the movement of money, goods, information or people, and is essential for analysing social processes. Flow is a multifaceted concept used in various scientific disciplines to describe movement and change. 

  • Simon Stevin

    Simon Stevin, a 16th-century scientific genius, was born in Bruges. Although he later moved to the Netherlands, Bruges always remained an important part of his identity. His scientific breakthroughs, especially in physics and mathematics, have left a lasting impression on the world. He was also active as an engineer and played an important role in dyke management and lock development.  

    The erection of his statue on today’s Simon Stevin Square was celebrated for a week as the then brand-new state of Belgium sought to market itself as a scientifically advanced country. This was met with quite the resistance. There was much Catholic protest against the erection of the statue in Bruges. After all, Simon Stevin was a Protestant who was considered a heretic and a traitor to the country because he had left for the Republic (the Netherlands). This led to fierce reactions from liberal politicians who spoke of Catholic repression. In the end, the statue was made anyway and unveiled on 26 July 1846, but the process was not without its problems.

    For illustration, the map of the Dam Gate complex. 

    

  • The four humours

    What makes us sick or healthy? How does the body age? For centuries, people have been searching for answers. In ancient times, it was believed that health and personality depended on four bodily fluids: blood, mucus, yellow and black bile. An imbalance would cause diseases and temperaments. This humour theory defined Western medicine for centuries. 

    Doctors looked not only at bodily processes, but also at the movements of planets. Each body part corresponded to a celestial body, and cosmic changes would be reflected in the body: what happens up there also happens down here. 

    Today, medicine offers other explanations, but the idea of ‘flow’ remains. Blood is pumped around by the heart, and electrical impulses drive the nervous system – processes that make us move, feel and think. 

    Text: Bruges Municipal Public Library

    

  • Of the purest water

    Bruges’s canals underwent a major restoration in the 1970s. Over the years, the canals had become very polluted by rubbish, sewage and industrial waste. Today, you can still see the 18th-century toilets of the Brugse Vrije (next to the town hall) hanging over the Groene Rei (see photo). Residents and visitors were fed up with the poor water quality and unpleasant smell and protested to the municipal government. 

    After the restoration, several measures were taken to keep the canals clean, such as the construction of a water treatment plant and banning wastewater discharge into the canals.  

    Traces of contamination can be an invaluable source of information for archaeologists. They discovered the egg of a parasite native to Africa in a 500-year-old cesspool in 2024 (see photo). It is possible that the parasite arrived in Bruges via Spanish traders who sold gold, ivory and spices there. A find that once again confirms that Bruges was an important trade city in the Middle Ages. 

    More information

    

  • Of bog pipes and water casings

    As early as the 13th century, Bruges had one of Europe’s first large-scale water supply networks. Lead bog pipes transported water from springs and ponds, such as those of Sint-Baafs, to different parts of the city. This system was essential for water supply and showed Bruges’s progress in urban planning and infrastructure. 

    Later, a “water house” was built, which was not only functional but also served as a place of relaxation. In 1599, the Swiss Felix Platter described a lavish garden with fountains and hidden pipes that spewed water unexpectedly. Visitors were playfully surprised with a wet suit, making the water house a true water amusement park. 

    Source: “Bruges in 100 objects” 

    More information

    

  • Carl Vogels, the Bruges electricity pioneer

    It is not entirely certain who Bruges’s first electricity supplier was, but one of the contenders is Carl (Charles) Vogels (°19/05/1858, Ostend). He probably learned the trade from his father Reginald, who lived at Eiermarkt and advertised himself as an ‘optician, electrician’. 

    Carl was involved in the inauguration of the statue of Breidel and de Coninck on 17 August 1887, where he provided the lighting with electric lights for a Venetian festival on Langerei. 

    In 1889, he rented an outbuilding on Westmeers, where he used a mobile steam engine to produce electricity and power some hotels around Stationsplein (now ’t Zand) via a long cable. When he later installed a generator in the basement of his business on Zuidzandstraat, it led to protests from neighbours. 

    In 1897, the Vogels family moved to Cordoeaniersstraat. That same year, Carl supplied power to De Keizerlijken Arend for the first film screening in Bruges. In 1900, he moved to Vlamingstraat, where, due to increasing competition, he worked only as an optician. He died there on 8 January 1917. 

    Source: Bruggeling onder de loep: Carl Vogels, de Brugse elektriciteitspionier – Krant Van west-Vlaanderen, Chris Weymeis – 07/07/2023

    

• Flow of thoughts

  The idea of constant change is not only a philosophical issue, but also has major implications for science, art, politics and our daily lives. It forces us to think critically about the nature of reality, our place in it and how we deal with the constant flow of change. The hushed character of a city like Bruges is only a superficial impression. The city and its inhabitants – history proves – were rarely an unchanging given. 

  A small sample of some key thinkers on the topic. 

  • Zygmunt Bauman

    Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman described modern society as ‘liquid’ (liquid modernity) to indicate that everything is constantly and rapidly changing. Fixed structures and traditions lose their meaning, and social bonds become weaker, leading people to live increasingly individual lives. Digital technology and social media further accelerate this dynamic. As the world becomes increasingly difficult to grasp, people seek to hold on to things they can influence. But these attempts to create certainty often miss the mark and mainly show our powerlessness in the face of larger social and global problems. 

    Even in Bruges, where tourism is a major economic force, the city’s identity remains in constant flux. To meet visitors’ expectations, that identity is continuously adjusted and renegotiated. 

    More information

    

  • Heraclitus

    Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher (between 540 BC and 480 BC), believed that everything is in constant change. His famous quote “Panta rhei” literally means “Everything flows”. He saw the world as a dynamic whole in which nothing is static. According to Heraclitus, change is the only constant in life, and it is impossible to enter the same river twice, because the water is always flowing and changing. 

    More information

  • Gilles Deleuze

    This French philosopher saw the world not as a static collection of things, but as a continuous process of becoming and changing. He emphasised the multiplicity and intensity of reality, constantly creating new connections and possibilities. Deleuze’s concept of the rhizome is important here: like a root system, it spreads in all directions, without a clear beginning or end, providing a model for an open, dynamic reality. Instead of fixed identities and structures, Deleuze saw the world as a complex network of connections and forces in continuous motion. 

    More information

  • Taoism

    In Taoism, the world is seen as a continuous flow of energy, called the Tao. Everything is in constant motion and change, and the trick is to go with this flow. 

    More information

• Flow of imagination

  In ancient stories, fairy tales, literary works, visual arts, etc., the theme of flow (in the figurative or literal sense) is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Some fine Bruges examples. 

  • Water devil of the Rozenhoedkaai

    Today, the Rozenhoedkaai is one of Bruges’s most photographed spots, but according to an old legend, a tragic love story once played out here. Long ago, Marieke used to stand there every evening, languorously in front of her window. She would wait for her lover Claes, a minstrel and poet who travelled a lot. In those days, a water devil lived in the waters of the Rozenhoedkaai. During the day, he would hide close to the bottom but at night, when it got dark, he would come out and admire Marieke. One night, the water devil turned himself into a golden bird, flew to Marieke’s window and promised her that she would see Claes again if she came to the Rozenhoedkaai at midnight. But when Marieke arrived at the stroke of midnight, the devil pounced on her and sucked her blood, soul and life.  

    In the morning, Claes returned to town, and he hurried to the Rozenhoedkaai. But when he saw her lifeless body by the bank, the devil’s laughter resounded one last time, hitting him so hard that he died on the spot and fell on top of her.  

    Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

    

  • The golden eel

    If you look closely at the Gouden-Handreibrug, you will see a stone hand with an eel there, referring to an old legend. Long ago, the Gouden-Handrei was called the Sint-Gillisreitje and the water in the Bruges Canal was so pure that all kinds of fish could be caught: perch, bream, pike, carp, roach, silver bream and eel. Only one unwritten rule applied: nobody would fish for eels. The people of Bruges associated the snake-like animal, which appeared mostly at night, with the devil, and it was better to leave it alone. Until one evening a man from Lissewege, who did not care about this rule, saw a golden eel in his net. When he curiously pulled up the net, a golden hand rose from the water, grabbing the man by his ankle and dragging him into the water. Since then, one could see a golden hand rising on that spot, gleaming in the moonlight, and all eels disappeared from the Reien.  

    Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

    

  • The swans of Bruges

    Bruges and swans are practically synonymous. But how come these swans have been swimming in these canals for centuries? According to legend, the swans appeared here after Bruges’s 1488 revolt against Emperor Maximilian of Austria and his extra taxes. During a visit by the emperor to Bruges, rebellious inhabitants of Bruges captured Maximilian and locked him up.  Meanwhile, a furious hunt unleashed in the city against all the emperor’s confidants, especially his tax collector: Pieter Lanchals, also called the Swan Knight after the swan on his coat of arms. Without trial, Pieter was tortured and beheaded on the Bruges Market Square while the emperor watched from his prison. When Maximilian was released, he pronounced a sentence on Bruges: “The people of Bruges had to maintain swans or longnecks on their waters in perpetuity.” 

    The legend is not historically accurate. Although the revolt against Maximilian and the figure of Pieter Lanchals certainly happened, this story was created around 1900 to boost the mythmaking of Bruges. The first Bruges swans swam on the canals as early as at least 1403.  

    Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

    

  • Roger Raveel’s swans

    For his participation in the second Bruges Triennial in 1971, Roger Raveel placed four painted swans in the Bruges canals. Raveel initially wants to achieve a poetic effect, but the focus soon shifted to the ecological aspect of the matter: after all, the canals were heavily polluted, and the city council had the swans removed because they caused consternation among the public. Raveel countered this, releasing his swans back into the water twice. Thanks to the awareness he created, Bruges’s inland waters were now being purified. 

    More information

    

  • The symbolists and Bruges

    Georges Rodenbach’s book Bruges-la-Morte, published in 1892, had a significant impact on tourism and the image of Bruges. The book portrayed Bruges as a melancholic, almost dead city. The images in the book by artist and symbolist Fernand Khnopff depict the city in a dreamy and enigmatic atmosphere: the hushed canals, the old buildings and the misty landscapes that envelop the city. For example, today you can see ‘Secret Reflet’ by Khnopff at Bruges’ Groeninge Museum.

    While locals were mostly negative about the tenor of the book, Rodenbach’s novel had a special appeal to tourists looking for a romantic and historical experience.  

    More information

    

  • Guido Gezelle “T er viel ne keer”

    Guido Gezelle (1830 – 1899) was a Flemish Roman Catholic priest, (satirical) poet, and translator from Bruges. He wrote many captivating religious poems and songs, written with a romantic streak and an eye for nature. Through his work, he sought to portray Christian virtues, but he also wrote sharp political satire under the pseudonym Sponker.  

    In his poem “T er viel ne keer”, Bruges writer Guido Gezelle showcases his fluid musicality. The poem describes a leaf falling on water and how the leaf and the water become intertwined. This symbolises the unity between nature and the poet’s soul. Gezelle uses a lot of repetition and alliteration to emphasise the fluid movement of the water and the leaf. The poem is a wonderful example of Gezelle’s linguistic virtuosity and his ability to express deep, spiritual experiences through simple elements of nature. 

    Read the full poem here.

    

• Countercurrent

  Activism, protest, resistance, retort… all ways of going against the mainstream. There are plenty of brave, fascinating and heroic examples in Bruges’s history. 

  • The self-confident Magdaleene

    There is no city north of the Alps where sodomites were burned in such large numbers as Bruges in the 15th century. One of many trials took place in 1618.  

    It started when Maetren van Ghewelde, Mayken’s husband, was arrested for stealing a horse. During his interrogation, he reported that a year earlier, his wife had run away with a woman named Magdaleene, who was considered a vagabond by the community. Mayken and Magdaleene were accused of female sodomy, which was considered a serious crime at the time. Female sodomy involved sexual or erotic activities between women and was often punished more severely than male sodomy because of the violation of both sexual and gender norms. 

    Early modern trial records show that Magdeleene was acutely aware of her sexual preference for women and that she consciously chose to engage in sexual relations with other women, despite her earlier marriage. She preferred sex with women to men and knew there were other women with similar feelings. This self-awareness was remarkable at a time when such preferences were not placed in a modern framework. 

    More about this process and its context can be found in A Woman Like Any Other. 

    

  • Bruges as a haven of prostitution, crime, and rebellion

    Jan Dumolyn, historian and professor at Ghent University:  

    “We outline (in the book Brugge, een middeleeuwse metropool 850-1550) the role of ’t Zand as a centre of political meeting culture (…). Bruges’s earlier historians were rather conservative in outlook and their views were bathed in a Catholic atmosphere. Thus, they barely tended to social history. All those uprisings were blatantly ignored. Bruges as the centre of Christian culture was the dominant image, while Bruges as the capital was a haven of prostitution, crime and rebellion. My great joy would be to see ’t Zand restored as one of the places of medieval democracy.” 

    Interview in cultural newspaper Exit about the book Brugge, een middeleeuwse metropool 850-1550 (Bruges, a medieval metropolis 850-1550), by Jan Dumolyn and Andrew Brown (2019) 

    

  • The Fools of Bruges

    The Flemish Revolt against Maximilian of Austria (1483-1492) was an uprising of towns in Flanders and Brabant against his Habsburg rule. The insurgents were dissatisfied with Maximilian’s policy of centralisation and the restriction of their privileges. Maximilian quelled the revolt. During the revolt, Maximilian was captured in Bruges in 1488. After his release, he punished the city by banning all festivals and fairs. To placate him, the people of Bruges organised a big feast and asked for annual fairs to be allowed and a ‘madhouse’ to be built. Maximilian replied, “Close all the gates of Bruges and you have your madhouse!” This gave rise to the nickname ‘Brugse Zotten’ [Bruges Fools], referring to the obstinacy and resistance of the people of Bruges. 

    More information

  • A Donkey’s Tale

    The story of Donkey’s began with a group of young people in need of studio spaces. The minimal offer was unaffordable for them and guidance from sociocultural players was non-existent at the time. 

    In 2010, they took matters into their own hands and claimed the rundown Weylerkazerne and the adjacent house on Ezelstraat. In the following seven years, with the help of many others, they would transform it into a vibrant, sizzling meeting place. 

    It was a hotbed for creativity and free culture where exhibitions and concerts were organised and where everyone was welcome. 

    

  • Burilda Lanchals, the Black Swan

    In 2014, a black swan caused quite a stir in Bruges. This exotic bird, native to Australia and New Zealand, gained a lot of attention and soon became a local celebrity. The presence of the black swan created hype in the city, with countless photos and posts on social media. The media picked up on the story and the black swan even became a symbol of Bruges. While most Bruges residents were enthusiastic about the new resident of the canals, there were also some concerns about the impact of this new species on the local ecosystem. The swan was named Burilda Lanchals.