6 key stages in the history of Bruges (and the reason for its medieval charm)

It is very likely that if you are here, you want to know the history of Bruges.

Specifically, the story of the city that was born on a swampy land that nobody wanted, and that has become the spectacular medieval city that we know today.

As we have travelled to the city so many times, we have been able to learn about the different stages of its history, which has allowed us to fully understand how Bruges developed and what information you need to know if you are going to visit it.

Witches It is, today, a city full of palaces and medieval buildings very well preserved.

Keys to the history of Bruges

La history of witches It began as a swamp where the Vikings would land and, over several centuries, became one of the most important trading cities in the world.

But the fact that it survived to this day in the form in which we can visit it today is actually a genuine whim of fate, curiously aided by a period of decline without which it would never have been able to be so well preserved.

Before telling you the history of Bruges, I am going to leave you here with some articles that summarize the most interesting things that can be seen today in the city.

• What to see in Bruges
• Best museums in Bruges
• Where and what to eat in Bruges
• The most beautiful cities to see in Belgium

First Settlements of Witches

In the 830th century, around XNUMX, the area we know today as Bruges did not exist as a city.

At that time, there was only a small village made up of Celtic and Roman settlements.

The main economic activities were sheep breeding and the production of wool that was used to make fabrics.

Despite the appearance of fertile land, agriculture was very complicated due to frequent flooding from the North Sea, which left the land salinized and full of mud.

As a curious fact that I loved when I heard it, is that the name of the region, Flanders, derives from the Germanic word Flandria, meaning “wet or marshy ground,” an apt description of the region at the time.

Arrival of the Vikings in Bruges (9th century)

La history of witches It cannot be understood without the arrival of the Vikings, which triggered a change in the city.

In the mid-9th century, Vikings began raiding the region.

They arrived from Scandinavia via the North Sea and they sailed through the Sweng River, entering the area where the village was.

The Vikings plundered the village and named it Brigia, which in Norman means “small port” or “mooring”, as they used the area to dock their ships before plundering.

Origin of the County of Flanders (9th century)

To counteract the Viking raids and change the history of Bruges, the king of France did something that would change it forever, he sent Baldwin I to protect the region.

In exchange, he offered him land in what was then a territory full of mud and water.

Baudouin He accepted on the condition that he would marry Judith, the king's daughter.

Although then king charles accepted with the hope that Baudouin did not survive the confrontation with the Vikings, the latter was cunning and built a fortress in the area known today as Burg Square, blocking access to invaders.

Although the original fortress no longer exists, a small vestige remains known as the “corridor of the not blind.”

After securing the territory, Baudouin kidnapped Judith, And finally the king charles accepted the marriage, giving them the County of Flanders as a wedding dowry.

This was the beginning of the development of the city of Bruges and its county.

Growth of Bruges and commercial boom (11th – 13th centuries)

From the 11th and 12th centuries onwards, the history of Bruges took a turn for the better and began to flourish.

Thanks to its strategic location and the construction of canals, the city became an important commercial centre. The wool and textile trade flourished, and the city expanded rapidly.

One of the most notable events of this period was the assassination of Charles the Good in 1127, a count of Flanders who supported the poor.

He was killed in the Cathedral of St. Donatian awarded by the Erembal family, a wealthy family who disagreed with his policies.

This crime generated a great political crisis that led to the construction of the first wall in Bruges in 1198 to protect the city from constant threats.

But it was not until 1298, due to rapid growth, that a new church was built. second wall to further fortify the city.

During this time, the city also developed an intricate network of bridges and canals that facilitated trade and transportation.

By the 11th century, an XNUMX-kilometre defensive canal had been built around the city to protect it from possible invasions.

The Golden Age, Decline and War (16th - 17th Centuries)

Witches reached its peak in the 15th century under the control of the Duchy of Burgundy. At this time, The city was a center of international trade.

However, after the death of Mary of Burgundy In 1482, who had ruled the region, the city began to decline.

La history of witches changed when her husband, Maximilian of Austria, imposed heavy taxes on the city to finance his wars, which generated resistance among the citizens of Bruges.

The tension culminated when citizens kidnapped Maximiliano in the Marketplace for four months.

In an attempt to put pressure on the duke, they beheaded his advisor and close friend, Peter Landshals, nailing his head in said square, in front of the place where Maximiliano was being held.

Although Maximiliano was released, he imposed three punishments on the city:

• He transferred the commercial rights to the port of antwerp
• He destroyed the city's fortifications
• And he ordered the placement of long-necked swans in the canals that the citizens were to look after, as a symbolic reminder of the execution of Landshals, whose surname meant “long neck.”

From the 16th century onwards, Bruges entered a period of decline.

Storms blocked the exit to the sea through the Sweng River, which drastically hampered trade.

Furthermore, during the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648)Bruges suffered the effects of the Spanish invasions and the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.

These events, along with the French Revolution, devastated much of the city, including the Augustinian monastery.

The Industrial Revolution and the Renaissance of Bruges (19th – 20th centuries)

In the era of Independence of Belgium brand in 1830 Witches rd one of the poorest cities in the country.

There was no money for modernization or to attract the investment that other cities were experiencing with the Industrial Revolution, and one of the main activities was make lace.

And it was not until the mid-nineteenth century when Bruges began to experience a renaissance, thanks to the incipient tourism.

Former British soldiers visiting Belgium after the fall of Napoleon en Waterloo They began to discover the Medieval charm of Bruges.

As more foreign visitors fell in love with its architecture and canals, tourism began to revitalize the city, transforming it into the “jewel” it is today.

Curiously, the period of decline meant that the city remained stuck in time and old buildings were not replaced by more modern constructions, as has happened in hundreds of cities.

In this way, the old buildings of the city could be gradually restored, and so it is today. Bruges maintains a medieval historic center just as it was hundreds of years ago.