Known in English as the 'Lake of Love', the Minnewater harks back to Bruges' medieval heyday. This waterway was once a dock; ships from as far afield as Russia arrived here laden with cargoes of wool, wine, spices and silks, and left loaded with Flemish cloth.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
24.07 MILES
Art enthusiasts swarm the Sint-Baafskathedraal to glimpse The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (De Aanbidding van het Lams God), a lavish representation of…
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0.66 MILES
The heart of ancient Bruges, the old market square is lined with pavement cafes beneath step-gabled facades. The buildings aren't always quite as medieval…
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28.24 MILES
No museum gives a more balanced yet moving and user-friendly introduction to WWI history. It’s a multisensory experience combining soundscapes, videos,…
0.45 MILES
Bruges’ most celebrated art gallery boasts an astonishingly rich collection that's strong in superb Flemish Primitive and Renaissance works, depicting the…
0.33 MILES
In the restored chapel of a 12th-century hospital building with superb timber beamwork, this museum shows various torturous-looking medical implements,…
23.71 MILES
Flanders’ quintessential 12th-century stone castle comes complete with moat, turrets and arrow slits. It’s all the more remarkable considering that during…
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0.62 MILES
Towering 83m above the square like a gigantic medieval rocket is this fabulous 13th-century belfry. There’s relatively little to see inside, but it’s…
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26.79 MILES
Dating from the 12th century, this huge abbey complex houses the regional government as well as two churches: the Koorkerk (built for the clergy) and…
Nearby Bruges attractions
0.15 MILES
Just inside the main entrance of the begijnhof this is a charming 17th-century house now converted into an endearing little four-room museum. In the…
0.18 MILES
Bruges’ delightful begijnhof dates from the 13th century. Despite the hordes of summer tourists, remains a remarkably tranquil haven. Outside the 1776…
0.22 MILES
Founded in 1856, though there has been a brewery on the site since 1564, this is the last family brouwerij (brewhouse) in central Bruges. Multilingual, 45…
0.25 MILES
While Antwerp is now the centre of the diamond industry, the idea of polishing the stones with diamond ‘dust’ was originally pioneered in Bruges. This is…
7. Godshuis St-Jozef & De Meulenaere
0.29 MILES
The Godshuis St-Jozef and De Meulenaere almshouses offer one of the city's most spacious oases of calm; enter via the green door.
0.33 MILES
In the restored chapel of a 12th-century hospital building with superb timber beamwork, this museum shows various torturous-looking medical implements,…