Burg Square, Brugge

Burg Square, Brugge (must see)

Located in the heart of Brugge, right next to the Market Square, the Burg Square is a much smaller place, but no less beautiful. It is flanked by many historic buildings and is the administrative center of the city.

The Burg is on the site of a former fortified castle built by Baldwin, the Iron Arm who was the first Count of Flanders. He constructed it to protect the land around from invading Normans and Vikings. The castle was built on a former Roman edifice. The city of Bruges grew around this castle, making the Burg the oldest location in the city. At the time, the first church in the city, the St. Donatius Church was also located here. The castle and the church did not survive, today only a small reconstruction of the choir of the church remains.

Buildings flanking the Burg today include the large 12th century City Hall with its Gothic-style façade, the Old Civil Registry with a Renaissance façade, the former Court of Justice, a Neo-Classicist building that now houses the tourist information center among other administrative offices, and the Baroque-style building that was once the Deanery or residence of the deans of St. Donatius Church. The Deanery is now part of the palace of the Bishop of Bruges. The Burg is also the location of the important pilgrimage sites in Bruges, the Chapel of the Holy Blood and the St. Basilius Church.

Why You Should Visit:
Architecturally this square is hard to beat, combining a mixture of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance-inspired buildings. Rain or shine, it always has a special charm.

Tip:
Make sure you visit the Burg Square both during the day and the evening – the evening lights are magical. Look to the right of the Basilica for the Struise Beershop, where you can have a glass of beer while checking out its great beer selection.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brugge. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Burg Square on Map

Sight Name: Burg Square
Sight Location: Brugge, Belgium (See walking tours in Brugge)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Brugge, Belgium

Create Your Own Walk in Brugge

Create Your Own Walk in Brugge

Creating your own self-guided walk in Brugge is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Churches Tour

Historical Churches Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Brugge Beer Tour

Brugge Beer Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Brugge Introduction Walking Tour

Brugge Introduction Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
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Architectural Jewels Walking Tour

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One such is a splendid piece of engineering called the Barge Bridge (Bargebrug). Its bright red and asymmetrical form makes it a charming spot and photo...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles