The Markt and the Bell Tower

Before leaving Bruges, I must write about this beautiful square. The Markt is not only the modern heart of the city but was the center of Bruges in earlier centuries when it was a trading city and a canal came right up to the square. In the 1300s, farmers shipped their cotton, wool, flax, and hemp to the port here. And before loading it onto outgoing boats, the locals would spin, weave, and dye it into a finished product. The economy eventually shifted away from textiles at the beginning of the 15th century and turned toward more high-fashion items like tapestries, chairs, jewelry, and paper. One of the Continent's first bookmakers, in fact, worked in Bruges.

The old buildings on the square are not the originals--they were rebuilt in the 19th century in an exaggerated Neo-Gothic style. The square is adorned with flags, including the red-white-and-blue lion flag of Bruges, the yellow-with-black-lion flag of Flanders, the black-yellow-and-red flag of Belgium, and the blue-with-circle-of-yellow-stars flag of the European Union.

Buildings in the square include the post office, the Governor's Residence, and various Guild Houses. Its famous highlight, the Bell Tower, combines medieval crenellations, pointed Gothic arches, round Roman arches, flamboyant spires, and even a few small flying buttresses (two-thirds of the way up). Most of the Bell Tower has stood over the Markt since 1300; the octagonal lantern was added in 1486, making it 290 feet high.



Yes, you can climb the 366 steps (for a price) to the top for views of the city. But we didn't. The 47 bells in the carillon room just before you reach the top can be played mechanically with the giant barrel and movable tabs (as they are on each quarter hour) or with a manual keyboard (as they are during concerts). The carillonneur uses his fists and feet rather than his fingers. While atop the tower, you can supposedly see the towns along the North Sea coast (when it's clear, of course).

In the "In Bruges" movie, the Bell Tower is where the shootout occurs at the end and Brendan Gleeson's character dives off of the top in order to warn Colin Farrell (such a dark movie). It's also where the fat American tourist in the movie has a heart attack.