Our original plan for the rest of Spring Break was to drive to Brugge, Belgium and then over to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Only after we planned it out did I realize that combined with our trip a few days ago to Venice, Italy, we were doing a tour of European canal cities. That is what I was calling our Spring Break trip. In fact, Brugge is called "The Venice of the North." But with David's sore wrist, we decided to simplify the trip and just visit Brugge (or in French/English: Bruges). We left this morning for the 5-hour trip, drove north, had to stop when Becca was suddenly car sick and recovered just as quickly, entered the Netherlands, blinked and then entered Belgium. We were literally in the Netherlands for about 5 minutes. Can we truthfully say that we were in the Netherlands?
After parking the car at our hotel, we ventured out into the town. First stop was the Burg, one of the two major squares of Brugge. The Gothic Town Hall dates from 1376 and displays a number of historical and biblical statues on its façade.
The present statues are 19th century replacements of originally painted and gilded medieval figures, which were destroyed by French Revolutionaries.
Next to the Town Hall is the Chancellery, built in the middle of the 16th century. The gold statues crowning the building represent Law and include Justice, Moses and Aaron. Today the Chancellery houses the city archives. Pass under the open gable to enter the Blind Donkey Street (the name of an old inn that once stood on this location.)
Brugge coat of arms above the Chancellery doorway. The lion is most likely derived from the lion of the Counts of Vlaanderen and the the bear is derived from the symbol used by a chivalrous jousting society, which was very popular among the public.
My main objective in first going to the Burg was to visit this small 12th century church located in one corner, the Basilica of the Holy Blood. There was something inside we wanted to see and were worried that we may have missed the visiting hours, but we didn't.
The original 16th century façade was destroyed by French Revolutionaries. It was rebuilt with gilded statues of Flemish counts and their family members.
James, Emilie and I entered the church and joined the crowd climbing the beautiful wooden staircase to this upper chapel.
We stood in line waiting to gain entrance to that side of the chapel. What was everyone patiently waiting to see? None other than a vial containing some of the blood of Christ.
Popular legend asserts that the vial was taken to Brugge during the Second Crusade (1147–1149), by Thierry of Alsace, who returned from Jerusalem with the relic of the Holy Blood presented to him as the reward of his great services. Although the Bible never mentions Christ's blood being preserved, one of the apocryphal gospels asserts that Joseph of Arimathea preserved the Precious Blood after he had washed the dead body of Christ. Recent investigations have showed that the vial, made of rock crystal and dating back to the 11th or 12th century, was a Byzantine perfume bottle made in the area of Constantinople. It has never been opened since its arrival in Brugge, so no scientific tests have ever been done on the contents. Sign in the chapel didn't tout the vial's authenticity, rather described it as a testament to the power of faith.
James became increasingly uncomfortable as we stood in line and asked if could just wait for Emilie and me near the chapel's exit. The eerie atmosphere in the chapel and thinking about that vial had gotten to him.
When we reached the altar, Emilie and I made a donation to the church and mounted the steps to view the vial. This picture is from the internet, by the way. Picture taking was not forbidden, but right in front of the vial, it would have seemed disrespectful. We were allowed to lay our hand on the glass vial and pause for a moment.
Back outside, I took more photos of the basilica while David and Micaela went inside.
This cheap stroller has been worth its weight in gold for us these three years in Europe.
Daring street performer who kept us entertained while we waited for Micaela and David.
The 17th century Provost House, an example of Flemish Baroque architecture with its step-gables.
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