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Starting in the 12th century, Bruges developed into an economic hub in Europe, thanks to its location on the North Sea and its membership in the Hanseatic League. In the 15th century, the city reached its peak as a commercial metropolis and cultural center, a legacy that is still evident in its Gothic townhouses and churches.

Starting in the late 15th century, Bruges began to lose its 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 workhouses for the poor provided some relief.

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

Image: Bruges Heritage Unit

As early as the Middle Ages, there were close ties between Bruges and England. Economically, Bruges depended on imports of English sheep’s wool. But the two also aligned politically. When members of the English royal family found themselves in trouble, they often fled to Bruges.

For example, Queen Emma (c. 985–1052) spent some time in Bruges due to political unrest in England. This earned her a special place in the city’s history. In a panegyric in honor of Queen Emma from 1040, it is written 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 then granted Bruges a fishing privilege (preserved in the Bruges City Archives): 50 Bruges fishing boats would be permitted to fish in English waters forever.

It wasn’t just members of the nobility who found their way to Bruges. Unknown nobles also made their way there in the 19ththe , for various reasons. As is often the case in historical research, it is much more difficult to gain insight into the stories and living conditions of these more ordinary expats. Nevertheless, there are sources that offer a glimpse into their lives: the Guido Gezelle Archive, for example, preserves letters from Gezelle’s English contacts in Bruges. Among them are quite a few women.

But the most renowned English statesman ever to set foot in Bruges was undoubtedly Winston Churchill. In a now-famous photograph, he—an avid amateur painter—is seen sitting along the Groenerei, painting a cityscape.

Image: Bruges Heritage Unit

Godfroid Coucke, born in Bruges on January 3, 1877, was a pioneer in Bruges’s water tourism. At the beginning of the 20th century, he began offering tourist boat tours on the Bruges canals using six rowboats. Although he was not the first—Brussels entrepreneur Jules Vander Schueren had already obtained a permit in 1905 to operate gondolas on Bruges’ canals—Coucke remains an important figure in the history of Bruges water tourism.

What made him unique was that he rented out his boats without a guide, allowing tourists to explore the beautiful surroundings on their own. Later, he added two motorboats to his fleet. His initiative was perfectly in line with the emerging tourism industry, particularly among English visitors. Mayor Visart de Bocarmé had already identified tourism as a priority for strengthening Bruges’ economy. Coucke’s first dock was located in the Groeninge; he later moved to the Dyver, where Gruuthuse boat excursions became a household name.

Text & images: Bruges Heritage Unit

In the late 19th century, then-Mayor Visart de Bocarmé decided to pull Bruges out of its economic impasse through two initiatives: the expansion of the port of Zeebrugge and the development of tourism. With its medieval art treasures and architectural heritage, Bruges had everything it needed to become a tourist success. From that point on, water played an important role in the—romantic—image of Bruges. In engravings, etchings, and lithographs, the same buildings, squares, and, of course, bridges appear time and again. Later, postcards continued to reinforce this image.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the romantic image of medieval Bruges has been cultivated to attract tourists, and to this day, Bruges’ canals remain a major draw; just take a look at Visit Bruges’ Instagram page and the photos they primarily use.

Source: *Het Vloeibare Goud* by Mia Lingier and Edmond Coucke

For Bruges Triennial: Spaces of Possibility , Sumayya Vally drew inspiration for her work Grains of Paradise by Bruges’ rich commercial history, which reached its peak in the 14th and 15th centuries with the import and export of goods. To this day, traces of this past can be found in the cityscape, ranging from the guild houses to the hoisting beams along the waterfront and the rich collection of objects in the recently restored Gruuthuse Palace. Mustard pots, tapestries, and dyes all point to the import of spices, precious stones, and pigments from distant lands.

The historical connection between the medieval trading city and the African continent inspired Sumayya Vally to conduct research into 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?

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

The unveiling of his statue on what is now Simon Stevin Square was celebrated for a week because Belgium, then still a very new nation, wanted to establish itself as a country with a high level of scientific excellence. This did not go smoothly. There was significant Catholic opposition to the erection of the statue in Bruges. After all, Simon Stevin was a Protestant who was considered a heretic and a traitor for having left for the Republic (the Netherlands). This led to fierce reactions from liberal politicians, who spoke of Catholic repression. Ultimately, the statue was built and unveiled on July 26, 1846, but the process was not without its problems.

For example: the map of the Dampoort complex.

The canals of Bruges underwent extensive restoration in the 1970s. Over the years, the canals had become heavily polluted by trash, sewage, and industrial waste. Even today, you can still see how the 18th-century toilets of the Brugse Vrije (next to City Hall) hang above the Groene Rei (see photo). Residents and visitors had had enough of the poor water quality and unpleasant odor and protested to the city council.

Following the restoration, various measures were taken to keep the canals clean, such as the construction of a water treatment plant and a ban on discharging wastewater into the canals.

Spores of contamination can be, for the archaeologist, an invaluable source of information. In 2024, a discovery was made in a 500-year-old cesspool the egg of a parasite that is normally found mainly in Africa (see photo of the excavation). The parasite may have reached Bruges via Spanish merchants who sold gold, ivory, and spices there. A discovery that once again confirms that Bruges was an major trading city .

As early as the 13th century, Bruges had one of Europe’s first large-scale water supply networks. Lead pipes carried water from springs and ponds, such as those at St. Bavo’s, to various parts of the city. This system was essential for the water supply and demonstrated Bruges’s progressive approach to urban planning and infrastructure.

Later, a “water house” was built, which was not only functional but also served as a place of recreation. In 1599, the Swiss traveler Felix Platter described a pleasure garden with fountains and hidden spouts that unexpectedly spouted water. Visitors were playfully surprised with a wet outfit, turning the water house into a true water amusement park.

Source: “Bruges in 100 Objects”

It is not entirely clear who was Bruges’ first electricity supplier, but one of the likely candidates is Carl (Charles) Vogels (b. May 19, 1858, Ostend). He likely learned the trade from his father, Reginald, who lived on the Eiermarkt and advertised himself as an “optician and electrician.”

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

In 1889, he rented an outbuilding on Westmeers, where he generated electricity using a portable steam engine and supplied power to several 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 sparked protests from the neighbors.

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

Source: A Bruges Resident Under the Spotlight: Carl Vogels, the Bruges Electricity Pioneer – Krant Van West-Vlaanderen, Chris Weymeis – July 7, 2023

The sociologist Zygmunt Bauman described modern society as “liquid” (liquid modernity) to indicate that everything is constantly changing at a rapid pace. Fixed structures and traditions are losing their meaning, and social ties are weakening, causing people to live increasingly individualistic lives. Digital technology and social media further accelerate this dynamic. Because the world is becoming increasingly difficult to grasp, people seek stability in things they can actually influence. But these attempts to create certainty often miss the mark and, above all, reveal our powerlessness in the face of larger societal and global problems.

In Bruges as well, where tourism is a major economic force, the city’s identity is in a state of constant flux. To meet visitors’ expectations, that identity is continually adapted and renegotiated.

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher (between 540 B.C. and 480 B.C.), believed that everything is in a state of constant change. His famous saying, “Panta rhei” literally means “Everything flows.” He viewed 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 step into the same river twice, because the water is constantly flowing and changing.

TheFrench philosopher did not view the world as a static collection of things, but as a continuous process of becoming and change. He emphasized the multiplicity and intensity of reality, which constantly creates new connections and possibilities. Deleuze’s concept of the rhizome is important here: just like a root system, it spreads in all directions, without a clear beginning or end, and thus forms a model for an open, dynamic reality. Instead of fixed identities and structures, Deleuze the world as a complex network of connections and forces that are constantly in motion.

In Taoism, the world is viewed as a continuous flow of energy, called the Tao. Everything is in constant motion and change, and the art lies in going with the flow.

Today, the Rozenhoedkaai is one of the most photographed spots in Bruges, but according to an old legend, a tragic love story once unfolded here. Long ago, Marieke would stand there every evening, gazing longingly out her window. She was waiting for her beloved Claes, a minstrel and poet who was often away on his travels. I Back then, a water demon lived in the waters of the Rozenhoedkaai. During the day, he hid close to the bottom, but in the evening, when it grew dark, he would emerge and admire Marieke. One evening, the d The water devil transformed 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 twelve, the devil pounced on her and sucked out her blood, soul, and life.

That morning, Claes returned to the city and hurried to the Rozenhoedkaai. But when he saw her lying lifeless on the shore, the devil’s raucous laughter rang out one last time, striking him so hard that he collapsed dead onto her body.

Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

If you look closely at the Gouden-Handreibrug, you’ll see a stone hand holding an eel, which refers to an old legend. Long ago, the Gouden-Handrei was called the Sint-Gillisreitje, and the water in Bruges’ canals was so clear that people could catch all kinds of fish there: perch, bream, pike, carp, roach, silver bream, and eel. There was only one unwritten rule: no one was allowed to fish for eels. The people of Bruges associated this serpentine creature—which mainly came out at night—with the devil, and it was best to leave it alone. Until one evening, a man from Lissewege—who paid no heed to this rule—spotted a golden-yellow eel in his net. When he curiously pulled the net up, a golden hand rose from the water, grabbed the man by the ankle, and dragged him into the water. Ever since then, a gleaming golden hand could be seen rising in the moonlight at that spot, and all the eels disappeared from the canals.

Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

When you say Bruges, you think of swans. But how is it that these swans have been swimming in the canals for centuries? According to legend, the swans arrived after the Bruges uprising of 1488 against Emperor Maximilian of Austria and his new taxes. During a visit by the emperor to Bruges, rebellious Bruggers captured Maximilian and imprisoned him. Meanwhile, a furious hunt unfolded in the city for all of the emperor’s confidants, particularly his tax collector: Pieter Lanchals, also known as the “Swan Knight” because of 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 cell. When Maximilian was released, he imposed a punishment on Bruges: “The people of Bruges must forever keep swans or long-necked birds on their waters.”

This legend is not historically accurate. Although the revolt against Maximilian and the figure of Pieter Lanchals certainly existed, this story originated around 1900 to promote the myth-making surrounding Bruges. The first swans in Bruges had been swimming on the canals since at least 1403.

Text: Bruges Heritage Unit

For his participation in the tsecond tAt the 1971 Bruges Biennale, Roger Raveel Four painted swans in the canals of Bruges. Raveel want initially to create a poetic effect, but attention quickly shifts to the ecological aspect of the matter: after all, the canals are heavily polluted, and the city government is allowing the zeliminate delusions because they cause consternation among the public. Raveel objects to this and lets his zHe managed to return to the water twice. Thanks to the awareness he raised, Bruges’s inland waterways were cleaned up.

The Book Bruges-la-Morte by Georges Rodenbach, published in 1892, had a significant influence on tourism and the perception of Bruges. The book portrayed Bruges as a melancholic, almost lifeless city. The illustrations in the book by artist and Symbolist Fernand Khnopff depict the city in a dreamy and enigmatic atmosphere: the tranquil canals, the old buildings, and the misty landscapes that envelop the city. Today, you can seeKhnopff’s “Secret Reflet” at the Groeninge Museum in Bruges.

While the city’s residents were largely critical of the book’s tone, Rodenbach’s novel held a special appeal for tourists seeking a romantic and historical experience.

Guido Gezelle (1830–1899) was a Flemish Roman Catholic priest, satirical poet, and translator from Bruges. He wrote many captivating religious poems and songs, characterized by a romantic sensibility and an appreciation for nature. Through his work, he sought to express Christian virtues, but he was equally adept at writing sharp political satire under the pseudonym Sponker.

In his poem “T er viel ne keer,” Bruges-based writer Guido Gezelle demonstrates his fluid musicality. The poem describes a leaf falling onto the water and how the leaf and the water become intertwined. This symbolizes the unity between nature and the poet’s soul. Gezelle uses a great deal of repetition and alliteration to emphasize the fluid movement of the water and the leaf. The poem is a beautiful example of Gezelle’s linguistic virtuosity and his ability to express profound, spiritual experiences through simple elements of nature.

Read here the poem here.

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

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

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

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

Jan Dumolyn, historian and professor at Ghent University:

“We outline (in the book “Bruges, a Medieval Metropolis 850–1550”) the role of ‘t Zand as the center of political assembly culture (…). Earlier Bruges historians were rather conservative in their approach, and their perspective was steeped in a Catholic atmosphere. As a result, they paid hardly any attention to social history. All those uprisings were simply ignored. Bruges as a center of Christian culture—that was the dominant image—while as a capital, Bruges was a hotbed of prostitution, crime, and rebellion. It would give me great joy to see ‘t Zand restored to its rightful place as one of the sites of medieval democracy.”

Interview in the cultural newspaper Exit about the book “Bruges, a Medieval Metropolis 850–1550,” by Jan Dumolyn and Andrew Brown (2019)

The Flemish Revolt against Maximilian of Austria (1483–1492) was an uprising by cities in Flanders and Brabant against his Habsburg rule. The rebels were dissatisfied with Maximilian’s centralization policies and the curtailment of their privileges. Maximilian crushed the rebellion. During the revolt, Maximilian was captured in Bruges in 1488. After his release, he punished the city by banning all festivals and annual fairs. To win his favor, the The people of Bruges threw a huge party and asked him to allow the annual fairs and to build a “madhouse.” Maximilian replied, “Close all the gates of Bruges, and you’ll have a madhouse!” This is how the nickname “Bruges Fools” came about, referring to the stubbornness and defiance of the people of Bruges.

The story of Donkey’s began with a group of young people who needed studio spaces. The few options available were unaffordable for them, and there was no support from social and cultural organizations at the time.

In 2010, they took matters into their own hands and occupied the dilapidated Weyler Barracks and the adjacent house on Ezelstraat. Over the next seven years, with the help of many others, they transformed the space into a vibrant, bustling gathering place.

It was a hotbed of creativity and free culture where exhibitions and concerts were organized and everyone was welcome.

In 2014, a black swan caused quite a stir in Bruges. This exotic bird, native to Australia and New Zealand, was a lot of attention and quickly became a local celebrity. The black swan’s presence sparked a real craze in the city, with countless photos and posts on social media. The media picked up the story, and the black swan even became a symbol of Bruges. Although 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.