Markt, Bruges
The square where Bruges held its first international fair around 1200 — fish markets, jousts, and public executions have all played out on these same stones.
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Bruges' one-hectare central square has drawn crowds since the 10th century and remains the city's civic heart. The Belfry anchors the south side; across the square the Provincial Court occupies the site of the medieval Waterhall, where boats from Damme once unloaded cargo under cover. The square went car-free after a full renovation in 1995-96.
What to look for
- The Belfry on the south side, built in stone between 1291 and 1296 after a fire destroyed its wooden predecessor in 1280
- The Provincial Court at no. 3 — its neo-Gothic facade dates from 1887, rebuilt after an 1878 fire on the site of the original Waterhall river depot
- The traffic-free paving installed during the 1995-96 renovation, when all parking was removed from the square
The square is mostly traffic-free and hosts large public events; the fish market it once served moved to the Braamberg in 1745 and remains there today.
Markt, Bruges is one of 10 sights worth the detour in Bruges, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Bruges pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Bruges
- Jan Breydel StadiumTwo fierce rivals share one city-owned bowl — whoever plays tonight, 29,042 seats make their case loudly.
- Madonna of BrugesThe Christ child looks ready to walk away — and Mary isn't trying to stop him.
- Church of Our LadyThe third-tallest brick church tower in the world marks the spot where a Michelangelo marble and two Burgundian royal tombs share the same Gothic nave.
- GroeningemuseumSix centuries of Flemish painting — Van Eyck's 1436 altarpiece to Magritte — inside a single building on the site of a medieval abbey.
- Belfry of BrugesThree times gutted by fire, three times rebuilt — and still leaning 87 cm to the east.
- Basilica of the Holy BloodA crusader brought a relic of the Holy Blood to Bruges in 1150 — it still sits upstairs in the same chapel he built.