FR24Co CAE HERITAGE Visit to Bruges « the Venice of the North »

Bruges, often referred to as the "Venice of the North," is a city that's not just rich in history but overwhelmingly charming in its medieval beauty and romantic canals. 

The medieval architecture in Bruges is mostly intact, making it one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. The "Historic Centre of Bruges" has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

At first, guided by a French history teacher, we discovered some of the most important places and monuments : the Beguinage (founded around 1244, there are no more Beguines living there, but since 1927 it has functioned as a convent for Benedictines ), the Church of Our Lady (a Roman Catholic church, dating mainly from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries) with its 115.6-metre-high tower (the tallest structure in the city and the third tallest brickwork tower in the world), and finally the Markt and its towering medieval belfry.

Our group was immediately enchanted by the medieval atmosphere that permeates the cobblestone streets of this city.

Then we had free time to go shopping and sit at one of the many café terraces and taste the local culinary delights : waffels, fries, Belgium chocolates, beers…

Some of us took a boat tour along the canals and could admire different perspectives of the city, cruising under quaint bridges and past stunning views of historic buildings.