Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: East Flanders

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. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community. Center of the historic city of Bruges is the "Grote Markt" lined by impressive buildings. - Taken late afternoon from the panoramic terrace of the "Duvelorium Grand Beer Café", while sipping beer. The more I drank, the longer the shadows grew..

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. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community. Center of the historic city of Bruges is the "Grote Markt" lined by impressive buildings. In the backdrop is the belltower of the Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (St. Salvator's Cathedral). - Taken late afternoon from the panoramic terrace of the "Duvelorium Grand Beer Café", while sipping beer. - For the terrace - see previous upload.

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. Taken late afternoon from the panoramic terrace of the "Duvelorium Grand Beer Café", while sipping beer. - For the terrace - see previous upload.

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. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community. Center of the historic city of Bruges is the "Grote Markt" lined by impressive buildings, like this one. It houses an exhibition "Historium Bruges", that I found not that interesting. Part of the "Historium" is the "Duvelorium Grand Beer Café" (quoting the website) "the only real Duvel café in the world". It is a real treat and delight to try the different beers (of course all from the Duvel Brewery) while sitting on the panoramic terrace - and "watching the wheels..." If you visit Bruges, it is worth to climb up the stairs.. www.historium.be/en/duvelorium-grand-beer-caf%C3%A9

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. Between 1200 and 1500 Bruges had a kind of "Golden Era". Bruges was a leading European business community. In 1244 the béguinage 'de Wingarde' (= vineyard), was founded just south of the city by Margaret of Constantinople (aka "Margret the Black"), Countess of Flanders and daughter of Balduin I, the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. Beguines lived in semi-monastic communities but did not take religious vows. They promised not to marry "as long as they lived as Beguines" but were free to leave at any time. They were part of a spiritual movement of the 13th century that stressed imitation of Christ's life through voluntary poverty, care of the poor and sick, and religious devotion. The béguinage includes a gothic church and about thirty small brick houses dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. Practically all of these are built around a central yard. No Beguines live here any more, but since 1927 a priory of Benedictine nuns revitalizes the monastic life. In 1998 this site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list together with 12 other Flemish béguinages.

Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges once 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. Business declined and Bruges crumbled over the next centuries, but many houses from the "Golden Era" survived and are well restored meanwhile. By now, this is a World Heritage Site of UNESCO. About 2.000.000 tourists visit Bruges annually. There is a certain spot from where the "classic" photo of Bruges is taken. In the center of these shots is a large willow, probably the most photographed tree in Belgium, maybe in Europe.. During my visit in March 2015 I found out, that located "behind" this willow is the patio of a small pub. So I could sit here, have a beer - and take a photo from the other side of the famous willow.

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 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 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 beheaded 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.

To my big surprise I found this statue of Father Damian inside Sint-Niklaaskerk. I had come across this name, when I followed a story on Oahu some decades ago - and had ended in Kalaupapa, a peninsula of Molokai. Father Damien (aka "Saint Damien of Molokai") was born in 1840 as Jef de Veuster in Tremelo, about 80kms east of Ghent. From 1864 on, he worked as a missionary on Hawaiʻi (aka "Big Island"). During that time, under the reign of Kamehameha V., the last Hawaiian King, people suffering from leprosy, believed to be incurable, were brought to Molokai, where they were isolated on Kaulapapa, a peninsula that could only be reached from the sea. Upto 1200 persons lived here in total isolation and without any medical care, as leprosy was believed to be highly infective. After Father Damien had learned about that situation, he decided to settle in the leprosy colony, what he did in 1873. He erected a church on Kalaupapa and cared for his suffering parishioners. After 16 years in the leper colony, Father Damien died of leprosy in 1889. He was canonized in 2009.

The erection of the Sint-Niklaaskerk (= Saint Nicholas' Church) started in the 13th century and replaced earlier Romanesque church here. It was built in a Gothic style, that later got typical for the area. This is not the bishop´s chathedral. This church, located next to the busy Kornmarkt, was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of merchants, sailors, coopers and pawnbrokers. So the guilds greatly funded this building. Later the guilds even had their own chapels, added to the sides of the church.

Standing on the steps to the Saint Bavo Cathedral (= Sint Baafskathedraal), that was hidden under scaffoldings in spring 2015. Seen here is the 91-metre-tall Belfort van Gent, a medieval tower overlooking the centre of Ghent. The construction of the belfry began around 1313. It was completed in 1380 and a gilded dragon got its place atop the tower. The uppermost parts of the tower have been rebuilt several times. The stone spire of today replaced a neoGothic one, that was demolished around 1912. The hall adjoining the belfry was built to headquarter the affairs of the cloth trade from 1425 to 1445. Inside, woollens were officially inspected and measured; transactions were negotiated. When the cloth trade declined, other business and offices moved in but as the guild still exists, there is still a room for them here. Sint-Niklaaskerk is seen in the backdrop.

Sint-Niklaaskerk (= Saint Nicholas' Church) as seen from the bridge over the Leie river. The erection of this large church started in the 13th century and replaced earlier Romanesque church here. It was built in a Gothic style, that later got typical for the area. This is not the bishop´s chathedral. This church, located next to the busy Kornmarkt, was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of merchants, sailors, coopers and pawnbrokers. So the guilds greatly funded this building. Later the guilds even had their own chapels, added to the sides of the church. Until the Belfry of Ghent, seen in the backdrop, was built, Sint-Niklaaskerk´s tower served as an observation post and carried the town bells.

The Graslei is a quay in the center of Ghent, located on the right bank of the Leie river. It was part of the medieval port and by now is a major touristic spot. Most of the current houses on the Graslei date back to the Middle Ages, although the monumental façades have been heavily modified in the 18th and 19th century.

Behind the streetcafes is this impressive building on the Vrijdagmarkt. Written under the red "BONDMOYSON" is in golden letters "WERKLIEDEN ALLER LANDEN VEREENIGT U", what translates to "Workers of the world, unite!". This is a slogan from the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels, where it sounds (in German) "Proletarier aller Laender vereinigt euch". Emiel Moyson, after whom the "BOND MOYSON" is named was a founder and strong supporter of the first trade unions in Belgium. He was a member (No. 37) of the "International Workingmen's Association" (aka "First International"), representing the Genth area. He died, only 30 years old in 1868. www.canonsociaalwerk.eu/be/details.php?cps=9

Since 1863 the massive statue of Jacob van Artevelde marks the center of the Vrijdagmarkt. Jacob van Artevelde was a political leader in Flanders during the times of the Hundred Years’ War. Through his efforts it was psosible to undo the boycott of English wool imports and so revive the textiles industry in Ghent. But times were uneasy and violent. In 1345 he was murdered during a riot by an angry mob. Seen in the backdrop is the Sint-Jacobskerk, a place where pilgrims met since the 11th century. The church seen was erected from 1120 on, but largely altered over the centuries. The large crossing tower dates to the 13th century.

Left of the coffee-shop is the "Bakkerij Himschoot", the oldest bakery in Ghent, founded 1880, though the legend tells, that bread was produced in this house, named the "De Croone" since the 17th century. www.bakkerijhimschoot.be/ Right of the coffee-shop is the mustard factory "Tierenteyn-Verlent". The Tierenteyn-family produces mustard in Ghent since 1790, but meanwhile offers as well pickles, chutneys and mayonnaise. www.tierenteyn-verlent.be/ Both companies are very recommendable!