Belgium / Belgique

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. Only few "modern" traces can be seen on the massive "ottonian" westwork from the 12th century. One is the clock high on the tower. It is 11.55h - too late to see the baptismal font inside, as the church got locked at noontime. The baptismal font is a medieval masterpiece - and I will visit Liège again later.

Three languages are "officially" spoken in the Kingdom of Belgium: Dutch, French and German. Liège is part of the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. So the butchery here is a "Boucherie".

Chassepiere, close the French/Belgian border, is part of the nearby town Florenville. In August this small village, centered around the parish church Saint-Martin, hosts the "Festival international des arts de la rue de Chassepierre". www.chassepierre.be/index2.php?m=chassepierre_en-1

Antwerp´s central railway station was constructed between 1895 and 1905. The architect Louis Delacenserie created a kind of cathedral of mobility.

One of Europe's first skyscrapers, the "Boerentoren", designed by Jan Van Hoenacker, was constructed between 1929 and 1932. With a height of 87,5 m. It was the tallest building on the continent by roof height until in 1940. In 1976, the roof of the tower was raised by 8,30 m, so the current roof height is 95,8 m. In Antwerp only the tower of the cathedral is higher.

The "Cathedral of Our Lady" (= "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal") is the see of the Diocese of Antwerp. The building of the cathedral started in 1352 and the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, when the church got consecrated. In 1533 the new church caught fire and got severyl damaged. Protestants raided the church in 1566. Many treasures, that had survived the iconoclastic fever got removed and sold, when Antwerp came under Protestant administration in 1581. After French revolutionaries conquered Anwerp 1794, the church was used as a stable. In 1798 the French administration intended to demolish the building. Time changed and within the 19th century the church was restored and refurnished. www.dekathedraal.be/en

The "Cathedral of Our Lady" (= "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal") is the see of the Diocese of Antwerp. The building of the cathedral started in 1352 and the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, when the church got consecrated. In 1533 the new church caught fire and got severyl damaged. Protestants raided the church in 1566. Many treasures, that had survived the iconoclastic fever got removed and sold, when Antwerp came under Protestant administration in 1581. After French revolutionaries conquered Anwerp 1794, the church was used as a stable. In 1798 the French administration intended to demolish the building. Time changed and within the 19th century the church was restored and refurnished. The cathedral´s spire is 123 metres high!

Tourists stroll around the "Grote Markt" to marvel the guildhalls, elaborate, ornate buildings, demonstrating the guild's wealth and status.

A fortress had been built here just after the first Viking raids, to control the access to the Scheldt river. It was known under the name "Burcht", but the name changed to "Het Steen" (steen = stone) after a rebuilding under Charles V (born 1500 in nearby Ghent). Between 1303 and 1827 the fortress was mainly used as a prison. During the 19th century most buildings got demolished. The surviving parts got restored and now host a museum.

The "Belfry of Bruges" is a medieval tower in the centre of Bruges. The belfry was erected around 1240. It caught fire in 1280, but got immediately rebuilt. At that time Bruges was an important member of the Hanseatic League and prospered being the center of the Flemish cloth industry. At that time the belfry housed the treasury and the municipal archives. Of course it served as well as an observation post for spotting fires. Between 1484 and 1487 the octagonal upper stage was added - and for about three centuries the belfry was even higher, - topped by a wooden spire, that burnt down twice and was not replaced finally. A staircase leads to the top of the 83 m high building, many people will remember the belfry (and the narrow staircase inside) from the 2008 film "In Bruges".

Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges already had its city charter in 1128, and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. The canals are still filled with boats, but now the boats are filled with tourists. I was patient - and so could take a shot of the most photographed willow in Belgium with no boat in front of it.

Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. There are still lots of boats on the canals, but now the boats are filled with tourists. Seen in the background is the tower of "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk" (= "Church of Our Lady"). It is, at 122 metres in height, the second tallest brickwork tower in the world.

Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. There are still lots of boats on the canals, but now the boats are filled with tourists. Each boat is equipped with umbrellas, so that even during some drizzle, the passengers are well protected. The captain of the boat in the foreground prefered purple umbrellas, while his colleague had bought dark-green ones. Seen in the background is the tower of "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk" (= "Church of Our Lady"). It is, at 122 metres in height, the second tallest brickwork tower in the world.

Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. The building seen in front is part of the "Oud Sint-Janshospitaal" (= "Old St. John's Hospital"), one of the oldest hospital buildings in Europe. Founded in the 11th-century the hospital was later expanded with the building of a monastery and convent.

Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. Seen in the background is the Sint-Salvator Cathedral. The cathedral was a parish church until the 19th century. As the French revolutionary occupiers not only had kicked the bishop out of Bruges, but as well had teared down his residence the Sint-Donaaskathedraal in the late 18th century, this church obtained the status of a cathedral, when the bishop returned to Bruges in 1834.

Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. Bruges lost importance and declined over the next centuries. There was no need for new buildings - and so many houses of the historic city centre, meanwhile a World Heritage Site of UNESCO, date back to the "Golden Era". About 2.000.000 tourists visit Bruges annually, so it can get pretty crowded Here. The streets are decorated with banners flapping in the wind. Seen in the background is the Sint-Salvator Cathedral. The cathedral was a parish church until the 19th century. As the French revolutionary occupiers not only had kicked the bishop out of Bruges, but as well had teared down his residence the Sint-Donaaskathedraal in the late 18th century, this church obtained the status of a cathedral, when the bishop returned to Bruges in 1834.

Bruges already had its city charter in 1128 and was a very important member of the Hanseatic League. It was the prospering center of the Flemish cloth industry. Most merchandise was punted on boats through the city. The large cog-ships were moored in the harbor. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community, - a large group of innovative and daring entrepreneurs. Bruges lost importance and declined over the next centuries. There was no need for new buildings - and so many houses of the historic city centre, meanwhile a World Heritage Site of UNESCO, date back to the "Golden Era". About 2.000.000 tourists visit Bruges annually. Back to the "Grote Markt". The house with the (neo-)gothic facade and the little spire is the "Cranenburg House", where in 1488 Archduke Maximilian of Austria, King of the Romans (later "Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor"), was imprisoned for about 5 months. During the War of the Burgundian Succession, revolts had rosen in the Flemish region. Maximilian had come to Bruges to negotiate, but the guilds of Bruges, who joined the revolt, were in arms and imprisoned him. A torture rack was brought to the market and Maximilian´s minister Pierre Lanchals (aka "Lankhals") was executed in front of the house. The pope excommunicated the rebels, Maximilian's father Frederick III raised an army that reached Flanders in April 1488. Maximilian made a deal with his captors. He was to relinquish the title "Count of Flanders", leaving control of the province in the hands of a government, in exchange for a yearly fee. But as soon as he had left Bruges, he broke the oath. The rebellion continued, but was finally crushed in 1492, when German troops, supported by an English fleet, blocked Bruges' trade routes and ports, what paralyzed the city's trade. Bruges and other Flemish cities were forced to accept Maximilian as regent.

In 1134 Diederik van de Elzas (= Thierry d'Alsace"), Count of Flanders, commissioned to erect a chapel next to the his residence "Oud Steen" (now the town hall of Bruges). This Romanesque chapel, dedicated to Saint Basil the Great, one of the Cappadocian Fathers, is seen here. The basilica consisted of a lower and upper chapel, as a second chapel was erected on this one. Diederik joined the Second Crusade in 1147 and - according to the tradition - returned to Bruges with the relic of the "Holy Blood", allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea. So during the first half of the 13th century, the name of the upper chapel was changed to the Chapel of the Holy Blood.