19. Belgium

This post features: Brussels, Courtrai (Kortrijk), Tournai and Ypres (Ieper) from a trip in June 2023 and Antwerp (Anvers), Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen in November 2023:

Brussels

A quick recce, taking advantage of the 34-minute journey by TGV from Lille. The TGV and Eurostar both come into Gare Midi (Zuidstation), which is a shame in that the area around the station is grim. Fortunately the Bourse and Grote Markt are only 3 stops away on Line 3 in the direction of Esplanade. The plan is to come back and use Brussels as a base from which to visit Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Liege, Mons and revisit Bruges. The slight problem being that I don’t like Brussels very much – I’ve been lots of times over the years and it just leaves me cold. I didn’t do that, as it turns out – I used Antwerp as a base instead…

Around Porte de Hal (Halle Gate):

The 14th century Halle Gate is the only preserved city gate in Brussels. It houses a museum and you can climb the 169 steps to the viewing platform – when it’s open…

The Church of St. Gilles was built between 1868-78, replacing an earlier church

Around Bourse:

The Bourse – or Brussels Stock Exchange – on Boulevard Anspach, was built between 1868-73.

The church Of St Nicholas dates from the 12th century but was plundered during troubles between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th century and then completely burned in 1695. The high tower collapsed in 1714, closed in 1797 and reopened in 1804. The church was fully restored in 1954…

The church is asymmetrical because an irregular small stream used to run through this street…

The Grote Markt:

La Grand Place / De Grote Markt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally founded as a military outpost around 978 on the banks of the River Senne – a small river that flows through Brussels and which is now largely covered over. The glorious baroque buildings in the market place date from the late 17th century following the bombardment of the city in August 1695 by the troops of Louis XIV, which pretty much destroyed this part of the city…

The Hotel De Ville dates from 1401, when the first stone was laid. Somehow the walls and tower survived the bombardment of 1695 and was subsequently restored…

*La Brouette* (“The Wheelbarrow”), was the house of tallow merchants but takes its name from the faint gold wheelbarrows etched into the cartouches above the door…

Maison des Ducs de Brabant – a neo-classical ensemble of seven houses that feature nineteen busts of dukes of Brabant – it was restored in the 1980s…

L’Arbre d’Or (“Golden Tree”) is still owned by the Brewers’ guild and features the equestrian statue of 18th-century aristocrat, Charles of Lorraine on top, but also the gilded emblems of hops and wheat. The Cygne (“Swan”) mansion next door takes its name from the swan on its façade and originally housed the butchers’ guild before becoming a tavern where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels regularly met during exile in Belgium and eventually wrote “The Communist Manifesto” – inspired by their time in Manchester and the influence of Mary Burns…

The King’s House was finished in 1536 and remodelled in 1873. It was owned by the Duke of Brabant (Charles V), ruler of the Spanish Empire and the Holy Roman Empire…

Courtrai (Kortrijk)

The Belfry:

St Martin’s Church:

In 1862, the church was struck by lightning and the subsequent fire caused significant damage and destroyed the wooden section of the spire…

The Grote Markt:

The town hall was built in 1520 to replace an earlier building and was restored in 1959

Tournai

Tournai is one of the oldest towns in Belgium and the only Belgian city to have been under English control for several years. Henry VIII ordered the construction of a citadel, of which certain pieces are still visible today. Known as the city of the five spires, taking its name from the cathedral’s five towers. The city also has the oldest belfry in Belgium and both the belfry and cathedral are UNESCO World Heritage sites…

The Cathedral:

The Belfry:

Le Grand Place (Grote Markt):

Sint-Kwintenskerk (St Quentin’s Church) looms in the background. The church dates from the 12th century – the tower was added in the 13th century

The statue is of Christine de la Laing, Princess D’Espinoy

Ypres (Ieper)

Flanders Fields Museum:

Le Grand Place (Grote Markt):

St Martin’s Cathedral:

Street Scenes:

Antwerp

The Central Station:

Between 2000-09 the station was transformed from a terminus to a through station. A tunnel was built to allow high speed trains to run from Paris to Amsterdam and the station now operates on four levels

The London to Amsterdam Eurostar doesn’t currently stop in Antwerp – it goes straight through without stopping as the station doesn’t have the facilities to process non-Schengen passport holders. You have to change at Brussels Midi but there are plenty of connecting trains. You can, of course, go to Rotterdam or Amsterdam just as you can go to Lille and Paris on the Eurostar / Thalys trains that stop here…

The Cathedral:

The cathedral was badly damaged during the 18th century and demolition was even considered. The cathedral was saved and extensively renovated in the 19th century with additional restoration in the 20th century

Fancy pulpits seem to be a feature of churches in this region…

Around The Grote Markt:

The Stadhuis (town hall) was completed in 1564. Architect Cornelis Floris de Vriendt’s design features a traditional style with elements from the Italian Renaissance. In 1936, the building was officially recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was fully restored between 2018-22. The fountain (1887) in the middle of the market is by sculptor Jef Lambeaux. It depicts the city’s most famous legend: the giant Antigone and the Roman hero Brabo. You can see Brabo throwing the giant’s hand, which he has just chopped off, into the Scheldt…

The history of the Grote Markt goes back to 1220 when Duke Henry I of Brabant donated the square to the city. Later, annual fairs took place here and English merchants traded with Italians, Spaniards and Germans. Eventually, it became a permanent market and the international showcase of Antwerp, the most important city in the Low Countries in the 15th century.

The guild houses in the Grote Markt once belonged to the powerful guilds of merchants and craftsmen. Each guild had its own patron saint…

Other Churches:

Saint Charles Borromeo’s Church, locally known under the Latin name of Sint-Carolus Borromeus, was built by the Jesuits between 1614 and 1621.

The City:

Antoon van Dyck looking out in the Meir is the city’s most prestigious and vibrant shopping avenue with some fine 18th and 19th century buildings. It’s mostly pedestrianised but watch out for cyclists and the occasional vehicle…

Ruben’s House Museum – closed for restoration – see: https://rubenshuis.be/en

This small fairy-tale-like castle, on the banks of the Scheldt, is the oldest building in Antwerp, dating back to the 11th century. For 500 years, up to 1823, it was used as a prison. Since then it’s been a home for disabled soldiers, a saw mill, a fish warehouse and a maritime museum…

Vleeshuis (butcher’s hall) dates from 1250 and was a meat market. It is now a museum of music…

The Pilotage Building was built between 1892-5

Night Time:

This statue of Anthony (Antoon) van Dyck (1599-1641) is by Léonard De Cuyper (1813-1870) and has been in this position since 1992

Ghent (Gent)

During the later Middle Ages Ghent became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe. Much of the city’s medieval architecture remains intact and is well preserved and restored. Ghent now is the capital of the Province of East-Flanders. Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, was born in Ghent in 1500.

This is a useful website: https://www.discoverflanders.com/ghent.asp

Ghent Sint Pieters Station:

The Cathedral:

Originally dedicated to St John, St Bavo’s Cathedral is said to date from 942 although the oldest surviving part of the church can be found in the crypt and this dates back to the 12th century. It was rebuilt during the 15th and 16th centuries in the gothic style we see today. In 1559, the name was changed to St Bavo

There are lots of lovely stained glass windows…

St Nicholas’ Church:

Construction began in the 13th century, replacing an earlier Romanesque church. Built of Tournai blue-grey stone in the local, or Scheldt, gothic style. It deteriorated over the years and has undergone major restoration over the last 30 years

The Castle of the Counts:

The Gravensteen Castle was built from 1180 by count Philip of Alsace. It served for a long time as the seat of the Counts of Flanders until the 14th century. In later centuries it was used for variously as a courthouse and as a prison. At one time, it was scheduled to be demolished. Now restored, it is open to the public and houses a museum…

The Leie River:

Saint Michael’s Bridge is located adjacent to the Saint Michael’s church. It is a good spot to get an overview of what Ghent has to offer. Looking towards the city center, one can see the three towers of Ghent : The Saint Nicholas’ church, the Belfry and the Saint Bavo Cathedral. Construction of St Michael’s Church began in 1440 on the site of a smaller church. The church has a neo-gothic interior. It houses a famous painting by Anthony Van Dyck : Christ dying on the Cross. Sadly, it was closed on the day of my visit…

The early 20th century gothic Post Office, viewed from St Michael’s Bridge

Medieval Ghent:

The 91-meter-high belfry is one of three medieval towers that dominate the old city center of Ghent, the other two being Saint Bavo Cathedral and Saint Nicholas’ Church, on opposite sides of the belfry.

The belfry was constructed between 1313 and 1380. The famous bell of the tower, named Roeland, was used to warn citizens of any approaching danger from outside the city walls. Attached to the belfry is the Cloth Hall, which was erected between 1425 and 1445.

Ghent Town Hall has two distinct two parts. The façade on this side (Hoogpoort) shows the flamboyant Late Gothic style that dates from the early 16th century. This style is in sharp contrast to the Renaissance style on the Botermarkt side. In this later wing (1559 -1618), you can see three-quarter Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns and pilasters inspired by Italian palazzi…

The Grand Butcher’s Hall (Vleeshuis), dates from the 15th century. It is now a centre for the promotion of local Flemish products…

The Post Office, the church of St Nicholas and the Belfry as seen from St Michael’s Bridge…

The Old Town:

Leuven

Leuven is probably best known for its university, which was founded in 1425…

The Station:

St Peter’s Church:

The Stadhuis:

Grote Markt and Oude Markt:

The City:

The University Library is built in the Flemish Renaissance style. It was badly damaged during the two world wars and countless books and manuscripts were lost. After WW2 it was restored to its former glory

Mechelen (Malines)

Mechelen (the ch is hard as in mechanic) is a small city about 30km from Antwerp and the train journey is around 18 minutes. Although it isn’t as big as Antwerp or Ghent it is a gem – well worth visiting. The imposing St Rumbold’s Cathedral dominates the skyline but there are a couple of other churches that are well worth visiting…

The Cathedral:

St Rumbold’s dominates the skyline in the Grote Markt

The cathedral was built in honor of Saint Rombout (Rumbold), a seventh century Irish missionary. Construction started shortly after 1200, and during the final phase in 1452-1520, the tower was built – the spire was never completed. It became a cathedral in 1559. The church suffered during the Reformation, both world wars and, in 1972, a serious fire. Somehow it has survived…

The row of baroque statues of apostles in the nave is interrupted by a monumental oak pulpit. It was carved by Michiel Van der Voort the Elder around 1724 and was brought here from the Leliendael convent church of the nuns of the Order of Norbertus…

Other Churches:

The seventeenth-century Beguinage Church is one of the Flemish béguinages that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site – the interior is lovely. Béguines were a close knit community of women who dedicated their lives to God but didn’t take religious vows – see: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/855/

The Stadhuis and Alderman’s House:

The Grote Markt:

Walkabout in Mechelen:

Bruges (Brugge)

In the early Middle Ages, Bruges developed into an international trading city with its own port. At the same time, the fortified town became a powerful political stronghold, thanks to the presence of the Flemish Counts, who ruled over the County of Flanders. In the 13th century, Bruges was the leading trade centre of northwestern Europe. Merchants from all over Europe settled in the city and the world’s first ever stock exchange (‘Beurs’ in Dutch) was founded in Bruges.

From the end of the 14th century, Flanders was part of the realms of the dukes of Burgundy. They expanded their presence in Bruges and, during the 15th century, turned the city into a cultural and commercial centre that was second to none. In addition to the traditional broadcloth, numerous new luxury goods were now produced and sold. Famous painters such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling found their creative niche here.

The city’s fortunes declined in the 16th century and its connection to the sea silted up. By the time Belgium gained independence (1830), Bruges was a poor provincial city.

In his book “Bruges la Morte”, Georges Rodenbach describes Bruges as a sleepy and mysterious place. The 35 pictures included in the book sparked his readers’ curiosity. Soon Bruges’ magnificent patrimony was rediscovered and its mysterious intimacy turned out to be its greatest asset and Bruges took its first steps into tourism. The age-old desire to be connected with the sea resulted in the development of a new international seaport at the end of the 19th century, which was given the name of Zeebrugge. In 2000, the medieval inner city was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site…

The Belfry and Market Square: