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Brugge (various)
Hi all,
I went to Brugge (Bruges) in Belgium earlier this year.
Brugge is a medieval town, and, one of (if not) Belgium's top tourist destinations.
During the 1300s, Brugge was one of the biggest trade and economic hubs in Europe. Over the next hundred years, the waterway linking Brugge to the sea silted up. Effort was made to build a new canal to alleviate the silt issue, however, it was too late to save the city from economic disaster; merchants, traders and the local population abandoned the city and left it as is.
Nowadays, Brugge entices people from all over the world into a bygone era. However, it isn't how it used to be, as much of the city was rebuilt during the 18- and 1900s to reflect medieval times.
Here are an assortment of images taken whilst there.
IMG_6852: Stadhuis (Town Hall) in the Burg;
IMG_6868: view down the canal; you can see the Belfort (belltower) in the background;
IMG_6870: same location, different focal length;
IMG_6875: some buildings by the canal;
IMG_6876: near the same location as in the previous image; this time showcasing the gothic architecture of the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady). This church houses Michelangelo's Madonna and Child marble statue, sculpted in 1504. The interesting fact about this remarkable sculpture is that it was the only work of art by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime.
Comments and critique, as always, are welcome.
Regards,
Humayun
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