Culture of Brugge. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» The Church of Our Lady is a construction that features the combination of Gothic and Roman styles.
»  The construction lasted over 2 years and was completed in the 13th century.
»  In the spacious church with a 122-meter tower, the only sculpture of Michelangelo, “The Virgin Mary with the Baby”, is kept.
»  Some windows of the church have the shape of a Reuleaux triangle. Such windows are quite rare.
»  The church is famous for the fact that the wife of Maximilian I Mary of Burgundy who lived a short life was buried here. The emperor loved his wife very much and called her the most beautiful woman in the world.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was built in the 19th century. Nowadays, the cathedral is a main city church. It is a bishop’s seat.
»  The cathedral is famous for its luxury interior, many religious relics and pieces of art.
»  The walls of the cathedral are decorated with Brussels canvasses of the 18th century and multicolored paintings of the 19th century. Due to them, the cathedral looks festive.
»  In the cathedral, there is a museum where you can see such precious artifacts, as “The Death of Hippolytus”, a triptych created by Dirk Bouts and Hugo van der Goes in 1470, and the painting “Golgotha”, one of the oldest canvasses in Brugge.
»  The organ in the cathedral is the oldest in the country. It was created in the baroque style in 1717.

» St. James’ Church was founded in the 12th century.
»  For many years, the building has been rebuilt and extended. During the reconstruction, a 6-meter cache was built in the tower.
»  In the 15th century, when the Burgundian dukes ruled, rich citizens brought gifts and made donations here. City guilds of craftsmen and merchants had a great income, so they constructed an altar in the church. During celebrations, they ordered services near their altar. So, there were 18 altars in St. James’ Church.
»  In the middle of the 16th century, in the times of the aniconic movement, a lot of precious items, paintings, and icons were broken and stolen.
»  However, many valuable items and pieces of art have been preserved to nowadays. So, it is not a coincidence that this church is called “the temple of treasures”. There is a preserved organ made in 1869. Many tourists come here to listen to organ music.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Bruges City Hall is one of the oldest medieval buildings. It was built in 1376 at the site of an old jail. When the first building where the City Council sat was destroyed by fire in 1280, officials had to meet in jail.
»  The construction of a new building was completed in 1421. It was a magnificent construction with a facade decorated with wonderful moldings and ended with a notched parapet with towers. The City Hall also had a luxurious interior.
»  In 1887, the fire destroyed the inner rooms of the building. The restoration began only in 1895 and lasted 10 years.
»  The Small and Big Halls were united. Now, this Hall is named Gothic. Here, the City Council sits and wedding ceremonies are held.
»  Flandrian counts and countess’ stone statues (copies) that were possibly made by sculptor Jan van Eyck in the Middle Ages were restored. Some rooms of the building are allocated for the Bruges Museum. The City Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Belgium.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Stadsschouwburg Museum is located in Bruges. It is one of the most significant theatres and concert halls in the capital of West Flanders. The building is a platform for national and international top projects but it is also used by local cultural and art organizations.
»  The Bruges City Theatre was built in 1869. Today, it is one of the well-preserved theatres in Europe.
»  The building complex was designed in the New Renaissance style.
»  The hall with red velvet seats can accommodate about 700 spectators.
»  The Stadsschouwburg Museum is famous for its monumental chandelier.
»  In 2005, about 200 photos of naked people were taken in the theatre. It was a photoshoot held by a famous photographer SpencerTunick. These photos have been included in the collection and become popular all over the world.
»  Before the construction of the famous construction, it was necessary to demolish 45 residential houses. 150 citizens had to search for a shelter. These fundamental measures let the theatre find its place in the center of Bruges.
»  The City Theatre was built by the project of Gustave Saintenoy who won a competition dedicated to the construction of this significant building.