Eliot's Travels

On our last day in Brugge, we still wanted to visit a few of the key sites. Walking through the highly decorated Blinde Ezelstraat (blind donkey street - named for a long-destroyed inn) for the tenth time, we headed to see the inside of the Stadhuis.

It's interesting to note that the statues on the facade of the Stadhuis are all from the last few decades. Apparently, French revolutionists destroyed the original statues in 1792. As part of the renovation, biblical figures and sovereigns were chosen to fill the niches, like the original subjects in the 14th century. In those days, all statues on the facade would have been garnished or painted. The Town Hall dates from 1376 and is a beautiful building. I suppose we're quite lucky to see it in its restored form. Eliot really liked the Knight - Baldwin Iron Arm; he abducted and married Charles the Bald's daughter and became the first Count of Flanders (879 AD).

The Gothic Room (Gotische Zaal) is the only sight within the Stadhuis. It is gorgeous. As with most buildings from medieval times, the room is from numerous periods. The hall and the double vaulted ceiling is from the 14th century. The murals on the walls were painted in the 19th century and depict important events in Brugge's history. There was a nice audio guide about the room and its history. We learned a bit about the Gothic and Neo-Gothic styles, though it made me realize how little art history and periods I know.

posted by Whitney @ 2:58 AM