Visits, monuments... on the Belgian Coast

Bruges

Forever romantic
With all its mediaeval finery still intact, Bruges is the romantic destination par excellence. Take your loved one by the hand and discover its fine treasures.

Anyone visiting Bruges will be immediately struck by the fact that the town has always taken excellent care of its artistic and architectural treasures. What marks out Bruges in particular, however, is the way in which it now treats its past.

Worth seeing

Choco-Story
A real adventure! A voyage to the Mexico of the Mayans and the Aztecs, who considered chocolate as the drink of the gods and used cocoa beans as money. 
Chocolate-lovers can discover the different stages involved in making chocolate truffles, pralines, chocolate shells and chocolate bars.

Sint-Jansstraat 7b, 8000 Bruges
www.choco-story.be

Bruges Diamond Museum

This museum illustrates the extraordinary history of Bruges as the oldest diamond centre in Europe. Learn all about the mysterious world of the diamond, which is one of Belgium’s most important exports.
Diamond-cutting demonstration every day at 12:15.

Katelijnestraat 43, 8000 Bruges
Information: T. + 32 50 34 20 56
info@diamondmuseum.be
www.diamondmuseum.be

Lumina Domestica

This museum of lighting takes you on a tour of the history of artificial lighting, from the torches and oil lamps of 400,000 years ago to the electric light bulb and LED of today. Visitors can view the largest collection of lamps in the world, containing over 6,000 antique pieces.

Wijnzakstraat 2 (centre), 8000 Bruges.  Information: tel & fax +32 50/61 22 37
info@luminadomestica.be
www.luminadomestica.be

St. Sauveur Cathedral

The oldest parish church in Bruges (12th-15th Century). Worth seeing inside: the gargoyles, the jube and organ (1679-1717), the mausoleums, the paintings and the church’s choir stalls.

St. Trudo Abbey

The Abbey of St. Trudo à Male is the former château of the Counts of Flanders, and includes a dungeon from the 14th-15th Century.

Pelderijnstraat 14, 8310 Bruges (St.-Kruis), T. +32 50 36 70 20

Ghent

Ghent, the capital of Flanders, is also known as ‘the historic heart of Flanders, ‘a timeless city’ and ‘one of the most beautiful historic towns in Europe’. The town’s rich history blends seamlessly with the bustling pace of its modern-day life. Every year, the City of the Noose-Bearers (as people from Ghent are known) is visited by thousands of tourists, who take advantage of its extensive choice of hospitality.

Worth seeing

Town Hall

The Town Hall, built partially in Gothic and partially in Renaissance style, is the crowning glory of Ghent architecture.
Each room has its own history.

St. Bavon Cathedral

This magnificent cathedral represents several different architectural styles: Roman (the crypt); Rayonnant Gothic; and Late Gothic. "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" forms part of its collection of paintings. This world-famous altarpiece by Jan Van Eyck dates from 1432.  It is considered to be the finest example of 14th-Century Flemish painting.

Tel.: +32 (0)9 269 20 45
E-mail: katrien.vandersypt@kerknet.be

The Quai aux Herbes and the Quai aux Blés

The numerous waterways that wind their way through the city flow towards the old port at Quai aux Herbes (Graslei).

The elegant façades of Quai aux Herbes and Quai au Blé (Korenlei) represent several different architectural styles. Together these two quays form a unique site and are the pride of Ghent.
Each façade recalls an episode from the past that evokes the spirit of enterprise and the intense trading activities carried out by the former corporations.

The alignment of the three towers

The Pont St. Michel is the most monumental bridge in Ghent. It offers a spectacular view of the famous line of towers: St. Nicolas Church, the Belfry and St. Bavon Cathedral.
To the left, the beautiful façades of the Quai au Blé and the Quai aux Herbes can be seen. To the right are St. Michel Church and ‘Het Pand’, the former Dominican friary.

Château des Comtes

A former residence of the Counts of Flanders that became a cotton mill; a small wooden fortress that became a major fortified castle; a symbol of power that became a tourist attraction – the Château des Comtes has had a colourful history marked by periods of construction, decline and restoration. This fascinating story is told in six chapters, whilst ‘Discovering the Past’ explores the most recent archaeological digs.

http://www4.gent.be/gent/historis/monument/
gravensteen/fr/fr_hist.htm

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