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    Bruges town in Belgium is as charming as its history

    Synopsis

    There was Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Romanesque and Classic, standing next to each other. Despite the contrasting styles, it formed a lovely amalgamation.

    By Anita Rao-Kashi

    The cobblestones were covered in a light sheen from the light drizzle that came down in soft waves and glistened dully under the overcast early morning November sky. The narrow street, hemmed in on both sides by tall ancient stone buildings, was deserted save for an occasional office-goer or cyclist. Head bent against the falling rain and careful not to slip and slither on the slick stones, I suddenly found myself in an open rectangular courtyard.

    It had lovely buildings on three sides in various colours and epitomised different periods in history; a street and a lovely park beyond stood on the fourth side. I was in Burg Square in the old quarter of the Belgian town of Bruges, a pretty town with beautiful buildings and pretty canals criss-crossing the place.

    The Burg Square demonstrated quite a mish-mash of styles. There was Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Romanesque and Classic, standing next to each other.

    And yet, despite the contrasting styles, it formed a lovely amalgamation.

    And therein lay Bruges’ history in a nutshell.

    Owing to the number of rivers and streams that flowed into it to form the river Reie, Bruges had a strong seafaring tradition going back to Roman times. It grew in stature and became an important trading centre in Northwest Europe.

    Its golden age was in the 15th century when the House of Burgundy took up residence and Bruges became the final name in luxury and affluence.

    But decline came soon after and by the 19th century, it had become an impoverished city. However, by late 19th century, Bruges’ treasures were rediscovered and it began the painful process of recovery, a process that was so successful that it was designated United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage City by the turn of the century.

    But for much of its history, Bruges was ruled from the very place I was standing. Dominating everything in the square was the Gothic 14th century City Hall. It was from here that Bruges was ruled for over 600 years and it epitomised the city’s wealth and affluence.

    Inside, there were ribbed vaults arching gracefully and supported by beautiful pillars. The walls were packed with murals, sculptures and exquisite stained glass windows referring to the town’s history. The civil registry and the court of justice buildings on either side of the city hall were equally impressive but it was the Basilica of the Holy Blood that drew my attention.

    Tucked away in a corner, the dark façade of the church built in a mix of Romanesque and Neo-Gothic styles went back to the 13th century and housed the Holy Blood relic — a vial of blood believed to belong to Jesus Christ.

    Each year, the relic is taken out in procession on Ascension Day, a practice that has been followed since 1304. Full of beautiful embellishments and stunning sculptures, the inside of the church had a strange serenity.

    Sin and the City

    By now, a weak wintery sun was out, and I walked further down from the Burg, down another narrow cobblestoned street. It was lined with bright and warmly-lit shops selling cheerful Christmas decorations and other knick-knacks. Interspersed were a couple of shops from which wafted mouth-watering smells of freshly made waffles. One of them had even adapted the waffle to the wandering tourist: a delicious warm narrow strip of waffle on a stick dipped in chocolate and covered in whatever the customer chose — sprinkles, nuts, chocolate shavings, among others. I gleefully chomped my way through a sinful one and found myself in the Market Square.

    A large sprawling area surrounded on all sides by beautiful and ancient buildings, the Market Square was striking with its sheer size and was a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Called “the beating heart of the city”, it had colourful guild houses and a towering façade while the noise of horses’ hooves and clattering carriages on the cobblestones provided beautiful background music to the scene.

    Without a doubt, the square was dominated by the imposing Belfry, part-medieval and part-modern, rising 83 metres into the sky. More fascinating was the carillon that it housed, a set of 47 bells that produced a hauntingly melodious sound. A set of narrow steps, 366 in all, took people to the top for a stunning panoramic view of the square and beyond, passing displays of old records.

    I wanted a much more engaging journey into Bruges’ history so I went to the Historium located opposite the Belfry. It was cleverly designed and constructed and in a moment I was transported back to medieval Bruges. I walked around the harbour, eavesdropped on conversations, visited ancient bathhouses and laughed at some of the bawdy language. There were recreations and clips taking me through a storyline interwoven with history.

    In a few minutes, I had a much better handle on Bruges’ history than I could possibly have had from a static museum display. I stepped on to the terrace and was immediately struck by the stunning view of the Market Square — an apt end to the experience.

    Leaving the Market Square and its noise behind, I headed to Bruges’ other landmark, the Church of Our Lady which dominated the town’s skyline. With its tower rising 115.5 metres and silhouetted against the blue winter sky, the medieval church had a beautiful façade and even more beautiful interiors.

    There were sculptures, reliefs and exquisite art work everywhere including paintings by such greats as Caravaggio. But everything was dominated by the stunning white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child done by Michelangelo. In the sombre silence of the church, the statue gleamed and an air of tranquillity hung around the place.

    The Sound of Silence

    This quality of silence continued into the Beguinage, a walled area lined with simple but elegant white-façade houses all ranged around a sprawling path of green with towering linden trees. Founded in mid 13th century and inhabited by the sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, this was another Bruges’ World Heritage Site. The area has such a calm that even whispering seemed rude and noisy.

    A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves and I walked around soaking up the serenity. As the evening shadows lengthened, I peeped into the Groeninge Museum with its stunning collection of paintings by Flemish artists including “The Virgin and Child” by Jan van Eyck and crossed the Lovers’ Bridge, a picturesque little structure known to unite long-lost lovers or hook up singles with their soul mates. It was a lovely story and the setting was indeed picture-postcard. The warm evening light seemed perfect to wander along the town’s vast network of canals that hid secret gardens, offered beautiful views and were flanked by pretty buildings. The canals were also home to flocks of snow-white swans that swam gracefully along.

    I perched on one such bridge and listened to them while the night fell quickly. A light drizzle started, seeming to pick up from where it left off in the morning and the temperature fell noticeably, bringing with it an uncomfortable chill.

    Weak pools of dim light fell on the cobblestones while the canal water reflected scattered twinkling lights. Traffic dwindled dramatically and an occasional cyclist rushed past, eager to get within warm confines. A sudden hush seemed to fall over the town. Scenes from the Historium came to mind and I imagined I had stepped back in time to the middle ages. I half expected an ancient carriage to come clattering by, but there was only stillness. The town was slowly ensnaring me in its compelling past. Giving myself a mental shake, I headed back to the warmth of my hotel.

    (The author is a Bengaluru-based travel and food writer)

    Image article boday


    Image article boday


    Image article boday


    Image article boday


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