If anyone is interested in the history of Flanders, then he should visit Belgium and go straight to Bruges. Even one walk around the city - and the whole history of Bruges is in front of you, frozen in stone. The city center is well preserved and you can see many medieval buildings here. The city acquired its metropolitan status thanks to its well-developed maritime trade. For example, England was a partner in trade relations with Bruges, like Flanders as a whole.
Centuries-old history
Flanders did not feel well about the dominance of the French-speaking part. For example, in 1302, an uprising broke out, resulting in the famous Battle of Courtraus. This event is evidenced by the monument to the leaders of the uprising - Kononku and Breidel.
Nevertheless, the city continued to flourish, it was wealthy until its prestige and prosperity were undermined by religious turmoil. This was under Philip II. The Dutch laid siege to the city in 1704. Four years later, he was recaptured by the French. The year 1814 was marked for Bruges by the fact that it became part of the Netherlands, but already in 1830 it became Belgian.
The First World War became a tragic page for Bruges, as it was subjected to powerful bombardment. However, the city was able to recover from this blow.
Modern history of Bruges
Today Bruges continues to be considered the center of economy and culture in Belgium. The townspeople tried to restore those buildings that were destroyed by the bombing, and now the historic center of the city can be considered an open-air museum. Therefore, tourism is one of the income items of the city. There is another interesting source of income - diamond cutting. And also shipyards that build low-tonnage ships. A modern port called Zeebrugge was also built here.
The city is famous for its lace center and its weaving industry. Distilleries and breweries also became the face of the city. It seems that Bruges is unlikely to ever be affected by such an industrial redevelopment that would destroy traditions dating back to the Middle Ages.
This is the history of Bruges in short, and visiting the numerous museums of the city, as well as walking along its historical part, will help to understand its twists and turns. The city was also mentioned in literature, and especially in the famous legend of Thiel Ulenspiegel.
