Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Bruges

In the Middle Ages Bruges ( Brugge in Dutch) had more than twenty windmills, which were located on the city walls. Nowadays there are only four remaining mills on the ramparts between the Kruispoort and the Dampoort . One of them is the Bonne Chiere, which was built in the village of Olsene in the year of 1844. This windmill was rebuilt on its current location in Bruges in 1911, after the original mill was blown down during a storm. It is built in the same architectural style: wooden standard mill on four brick dices. The ‘new’ Bonne Chiere has never grinded grain, but was just for decoration. The mill is not open for visitors.

The Jan van Eyckplein is a square - named after the famous painter - located a little bit further away from the other touristic highlights of Bruges. As a result, it is not flooded with hordes of tourists and one can quietly enjoy the beautiful architecture of the typical brick houses with their stepped gables and quaint facades. The square - constructed in 1787 - is located on the beginning of the Spiegelrei , which once was once was the old harbour of Bruges, where ships loaded and unloaded their goods.

Bruges (or Brugge in Dutch) is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site and has one of the best preserved medieval city centres of the world with its bell tower, wide open market square, cobble stoned streets and brick archways and quaint bridges. Canals loop across the town like a string of pearls and did give the city its nickname: “Venice of the North”. For many years Bruges was more or less been known as a "dead city" for many years. The sanding of the harbour and the difficulties to dig canals in the sand caused heavy economical burdens on the city between the Middle Ages and the 20th century. But nowadays Bruges is a lively city and one of the most important tourist attractions in Belgium.

The Grote Markt (Market Square) is the heart of the old city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. It is lined with stepped gabled houses, the Provincial Palace and the 83-metre high Belfort.

The 'Prinselijk Begijnhof Ten Wijngaarde’ (Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde) with its white-coloured house fronts and tranquil convent garden was founded in 1245. This little piece of world heritage was once the home of the beguines, emancipated lay-women who nevertheless led a pious and celibate life. It is the only preserved beguinage in the city of Bruges. Nowadays, the Beguinage is inhabited by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict; the church is still fully functioning. The complex houses a beguinage museum where one can gain insights into what daily life was like in the 17th century. (PiP: entrance gate to the beguinage)