Sacred Books | Secret Libraries

Bruges

Copyright: Stad Brugge / Matthias Desmet

DESTINATIONS belgium bruges Do & See Sacred Books | Secret Libraries

Sacred Books | Secret Libraries

The religious residents of the English Convent and the Carmelite Convent invite you to explore their buildings and their traditional way of life. The English Convent is known for its unique domed church, whereas the Carmelite Convent has an impressive refectory. Together with a guide, you will embark on a serene and spiritual journey, with books as the silver thread. At the end of the morning tour, you get to meet one of the monks or nuns.

Do & See

Some places are so special, so breathtaking or so unique that you simply have to see them. Bruges is filled to the brim with wonderful witnesses of a prosperous past, whether they be peaceful and picturesque, spiritual or, on the contrary, extremely entertaining.

Groeninge Museum

Groeninge Museum

The Groeninge Museum provides a varied overview of the history of Belgian visual art, with the top-class paintings by the world-renowned Flemish Primitives as the highlight. In this museum you can see, amongst other masterpieces, Madonna with Canon Joris Van der Paele by Jan van Eyck and the Moreel Triptych by Hans Memling. It …

Saint John's Hospital

Saint John's Hospital

Saint John’s Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in Europe, dating back to the mid 12th century. Visit the medieval wards, as well as the church and the chapel, and marvel at the impressive collection of archives, art works, medical instruments and six paintings by Hans Memling, including the famous Ursula Shrine. Also …

Gruuthuse Museum

Gruuthuse Museum

After its thorough renovation, the palace of the lords of Gruuthuse now leads you through three crucial periods in Bruges’ history: the Burgundian heyday, the lesser-known 17th and 18th centuries, and the historical ‘reinvention’ of the city in the 19th century. These periods are brought to life through a varied collection of objects, each …

Belfry

The most striking tower in Bruges dates back to the 13th century. It is 83 metres high and is protected as a world heritage site. Anyone who climbs all 366 steps will be rewarded with a stunning view over the city and its surroundings. On your way up, you can pause at the treasury, …

City Hall

The monumental City Hall (1376-1421) is one of the oldest in the Low Countries. It is from here that the city has been governed for more than 600 years. An absolute masterpiece is the Gothic Hall, with its impressive vault and 20th century murals depicting the history of Bruges. The adjacent historic hall sheds …

Church of Our Lady

Church of Our Lady

The 115.5 metre-high brick church tower, the second tallest of the world, illustrates the craftsmanship of the Bruges builders. Inside you can find a wealth of art treasures, with Michelangelo’s world-famous Madonna and Child as the absolute highlight. The rich church interior contains numerous paintings, 13th and 14th century painted crypts and the 15th …

Beguinage

The '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. Today the beguinage is inhabited by nuns of the Order of St. Benedict …

Saint Saviour’s Cathedral

Saint Saviour’s Cathedral

Bruges’ oldest parish church (12th-15th century) has amongst its treasures a rood loft with an organ, medieval tombs, Brussels tapestries and a rich collection of Flemish paintings (14th-18th century). The treasure-chamber displays, amongst others, paintings by Dieric Bouts, Hugo van der Goes and other Flemish …

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Basilica of the Holy Blood

The 12th century Basilica of the Holy Blood consists of a lower and an upper chapel, dedicated to Our Lady and Saint Basil. The lower chapel has preserved its original character and is therefore a rare example of Romanesque architecture in the coastal region. The Neo-Gothic interior of the upper chapel is home to …

St. Magdalene’s Church

St. Magdalene’s Church

The St. Magdalene’s Church, built in the mid-19th century, was one of the earliest neo-Gothic churches on the European mainland. This style of architecture, first made popular in England, was brought to Bruges by British immigrants. That is how the Neo-Gothic appeared in the streets of Bruges quite early. Inside the church you can …

St. Anne’s Church

St. Anne’s Church

This simple Gothic single-nave church, built in the 17th century, surprises with the opulence of its rich Baroque interior – the result of donations by wealthy local patrons. Admire the intricacy of the marble rood screen, the rich wooden panelling with inset confessional booths, the canvases of Jan Garemijn and the largest single painting …

St. Giles’s Church

St. Giles’s Church

In St. Giles’s Church, the only one in the city centre with a tower clock, many of the great Bruges artists have been buried. These include Hans Memling, Lanceloot Blondeel and Pieter Pourbus. The church originally dates from the 13th century, but was extensively rebuilt in the 15th century. The exterior is a fine …

St. James’s Church

St. James’s Church

In the second quarter of the 13th century, the modest St. James’s Chapel was elevated to the status of a parish church. During the 15th century, this simple house of prayer was extended to its current size. The church is now famous for its rich collection of art treasures, donated by wealthy local people …

St. Walburga's Church

St. Walburga's Church

In 1619, a Bruges lay brother, Pieter Huyssens, was commissioned to build a prestigious church that expressed the values and beliefs of the Jesuits. The result was the St. Walburga’s Church, which is the most richly decorated church in pure Baroque style in Bruges. Admire its dynamic facade, its many interior architectural details and …

Concertgebouw Circuit

Concertgebouw Circuit

An original experience trail takes you on an expedition through the modern Concert Hall. Learn how the concert hall works, be impressed by its famous acoustics, marvel at its contemporary art collection or perhaps even get started with a little sound art yourself! The children can collect stamps by completing tasks during a playful …

Bladelin Court

Pieter Bladelin, treasurer of the Order of the Golden Fleece, ordered the construction of this city palace in 1435. Before the end of the 15th century, a subsidiary of the Florentine Medici Bank was already housed here. The stone medallion portraits of Lorenzo de’ Medici and his wife, which are among the first Renaissance …

Sacred Books | Secret Libraries

Sacred Books | Secret Libraries

The religious residents of the English Convent and the Carmelite Convent invite you to explore their buildings and their traditional way of life. The English Convent is known for its unique domed church, whereas the Carmelite Convent has an impressive refectory. Together with a guide, you will embark on a serene and spiritual journey, …

Adornes Estate & Jerusalem Chapel

Adornes Estate & Jerusalem Chapel

The Adornes domain consists of the mansion of the rich Adornes family of merchants. The 15th-century Jerusalem Chapel (built by this family) and a series of adjacent almshouses. In the multimedia museum, you step back in time to explore the life of Anselm Adornes and the Burgundian world in which he lived. Also enjoy …

Lace Centre

The Lace Centre has been housed in the renovated old lace school of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The story of Bruges lace is told in the lace museum on the ground floor. Multimedia installations and testimonies from international lace experts help to explain the various different types of lace and their geographical …

Brewery De Halve Maan

Brewery De Halve Maan

Brewery De Halve Maan in the centre of Bruges is a family business with a tradition stretching back through six generations to 1856. This is where the Bruges city beer — the Brugse Zot — is brewed: a strong-tasting, high-fermentation beer based on malt, hops and special yeast. In 2016 a unique underground beer …

Bruges Beer Experience

Bruges Beer Experience

Discover in an interactive way everything you ever wanted to know about the raw ingredients of beer, the brewing process, food pairing, beer in Bruges, trappist and abbey beers, etc. Children follow the Kids Tour, which tells the story of the Bruges bear. Would you just like to sample some beers? The bar and its …

Choco-Story — the Chocolate Museum

Choco-Story — the Chocolate Museum

The museum dips its visitors in the history of cocoa and chocolate. From the Maya and the Spanish conquistadores to the chocolate connoisseurs of today. A chocolate hunt gives children the chance to discover the museum. Chocolates are made by hand and sampled on the premises. A 5-minute walk brings you to Vlamingstraat 31, …

Bruges Diamond Museum

Bruges Diamond Museum

Did you know that diamond-cutting was first invented in Bruges more than 500 years ago? This is just one of the many aspects of the history of the diamond that you will learn about in the Bruges Diamond Museum. You will discover even more secrets during the daily diamond-cutting demonstrations, which show you how …

Belgian Fries Museum

Belgian Fries Museum

This didactic museum sketches the history of the potato, belgian fries and the various sauces and dressings that accompany this most delicious and most famous of Belgian comestibles. The museum is housed in Saaihalle, one of Bruges’ most attractive …

Historium Bruges

Historium Bruges

In the Historium, you quite literally step back in time. In different ways you will be able to learn about the vibrant city of Bruges during the Golden Century. Historium Story tells the love story of Jan van Eyck’s apprentice, Jacob. After that, you can discover more about Bruges in the Middle Ages in …

Lumina Domestica Lamp Museum

Lumina Domestica Lamp Museum

Lumina Domestica lamp museum contains the world’s largest collection of lamps and lights. More than 6,000 antiques tell the complete story of interior lighting, from the torch and paraffin lamp to the light bulb and LED. The small detour into the world of luminous animals and plants is particularly interesting. In this way you …

Museum-Gallery Xpo Salvador Dalí

Museum-Gallery Xpo Salvador Dalí

In the Cloth Halls, you can admire a fantastic collection of world-famous graphics and statues by the great artist Salvador Dalí. They are all authentic works of art that are described in the Catalogues Raisonnés, which details Salvador Dalí’s oeuvre. The collection is presented in a sensational Daliesque decor of mirrors, gold and shocking …