Brugge, the Magnificent!

Although our exciting assignment of hauling luggage for our Choir visitors had come to an end, we were so close to the amazing city of Bruges, that we decided we couldn't return to Frankfurt without spending a day there.  This is the first view we had once we checked into our hotel and began our self-guided walking tour of the city.  (BTW, Bruges is spelled Brugge in Belgium.)

Although not a seaport, because of numerous canals throughout the city linking it to the coast, 

Bruges developed as a major trade center for Europe.

Beautiful shot of the canal and the Church of Our Lady in the background.

We loved the "step gables" on this building.  This type of architecture was very prevalent in

Bruges.  This particular building became an easy landmark from which we were to make 

a right turn to head towards the old town center.

We loved the narrow cobblestone streets where the houses lined up tightly against each other.

I'm sure this particular building was very, very old!  Just look at the brick!

Another step-gable building at the end of the street. 

This is a good shot of one of many canals and the Belfry of Bruges, a medieval bell tower.

One of the city's most prominent symbols, the Belfry of Bruges formerly housed a treasury and municipal archives, as well as an observation post. The belfry was added to the market square around 1240, when Bruges was prospering as an important center of the Flemish cloth industry. After a devastating fire in 1280, the tower was largely rebuilt. 

We just couldn't get enough of the quaint architecture along the water...

...or pretty much anywhere else!

Everywhere we looked there were oodles of step-gables!  I just love those things!

Since Belgium is part Dutch/part French, this particular statue honored the country's famous painter of the 1400s, Jan van Eyck, in a very unique way: the flip side of the statue had his name spelled in French, Jean van Eyck!

This is one of his famous paintings, the Virgin and Child

with Canon Joris van der Paele, completed in 1436.

This display paid tribute to a young girl who fell into a well and was saved by a miracle.

This is one of two Dutch windmills left standing in the city.

The Markt (Market Square) is in the heart of the city and unbelievably beautiful!  It was completely renovated in 1995.  No wonder it looks so awesome!

The Provinciaal Hof, a government building and former governor's residence,

is among the many beautiful buildings there on the Markt.

Awesome panorama of the Markt

By Cavalier JY-  photos personnelles, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2771917

And it was equally beautiful at night!

The Basilica of the Holy Blood was originally built in the 12th century and now houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood, allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders, during the Second Crusade.

The chapel inside was impressive.

 And the stained glass windows were very beautiful.

This is a painting of the vial of the Holy Blood.  

We actually were able to walk up some stairs to a landing and view the vial
 housed in a casing--all under the watchful eye of a priest.

Once a year the vial is placed in this ornate housing and led throughout the town in a procession.

The Church of Our Lady, pointed out earlier, was currently under major renovation,
so this was the best shot I could get.

I did get a picture of the doors on the side of the church.

Its "claim to fame" is the altarpiece that enshrines the most celebrated art treasure of the church--a white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo from around 1504,
one of few works by him outside of Italy.

The sculpture was twice recovered after being looted by foreign occupiers—
French revolutionaries c. 1794 and the Nazis in 1944.

Other paintings in the church were truly beautiful!

In the choir space behind the altar were tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter.  The effigies of father and daughter lay full length on polished slabs of black stone.

Below the chapel floor were empty medieval burial vaults.
I'm assuming the former residents had been moved to better quarters!

Beautifully carved wood confessional

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Belgium is famous for chocolate...

...chocolate-covered nuts,

chocolate-covered chips and cookies,

and just plain chocolate!!!

Chocolate shops are as numerous as can be!

And another type of popular tourist shop was that of lace or beautiful pillows.

We saw them everywhere!

Well, we made one more visit to the Markt before leaving town only to find the Farmers Market filling up the square.  What a busy place!  Thank goodness that gave us one last chance to 

pick up a Belgian Waffle or two before heading home!!!

And since Jim was worn out by all that "museum stuff," 

we decided it was definitely time to head back to Frankfurt.

Nevertheless, Bruges will remain forever as one of our very favorite spots in beautiful Europe!