Bruges

The city of Bruges has been described as the ‘Manhattan of the 15th century’ – a vibrant trading metropolis that was the jewel in the crown of the Dukes of Burgundy. The city’s wealth and prosperity attracted large numbers of cosmopolitan traders, and provided patronage to some of the greatest artists of the period, whose work became famous throughout Europe.

The historical centre of Bruges is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and retains much of its medieval character, including the original pattern of streets, squares, canals and open spaces. It is the perfect city to explore in a relaxed manner on foot, with all the main sites within a short distance of one another.

Walking through the Cloth Halls and out into the Markt, it is easy to imagine this square as the city’s medieval commercial hub, dominated by the Belfry tower and, up until the 18th century, by the Water Halls, where ships moored to be loaded and unloaded. Look up, and you see Bruges’s unique skyline dominated by the towers and spires of St Saviour’s Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady, whose 115.5 metre brick tower is the second tallest of its kind in the world.

2019 sees the mid-point of a nationwide cultural celebration of the legacies of the Flemish Masters, and our tour will allow us to explore this fascinating city, its history and its treasures in depth. We will visit the Groeningemuseum, home to a stunning collection of paintings by the Flemish Primitives including Jan van Eyck’s famous Van der Paele altarpiece, Hans Memling’s Moreel Triptych and Gerard David’s St Luke Painting the Madonna. St John’s Hospital, established in the 12th century, holds seven paintings by Memling, four of which were commissioned by the Hospital itself.

Subject to the successful completion of the restoration works, we hope to be some of the first visitors to the newly renovated Gruuthusemuseum (due to reopen in May 2019): this luxurious city palace of the Lords of Gruuthuse hosts outstanding collections of furniture, sculpture, tapestry, lace and silver.

The Treasury at St Saviour’s Cathedral contains a small but fascinating collection of paintings and applied arts, while the Church of Our Lady boasts Michelangelo’s beautiful Madonna and Child and a dramatic triptych over the altar by Bernard van Orley.

A little further afield, we will visit the extraordinary Jerusalem Chapel built by the Adornes family in the 15th century and based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. We will hear the story of Anselm Adornes: businessman, diplomat and knight, his friends included the Scottish king and Charles the Bold. We will enjoy a private reception in the Adornes mansion, still lived in by the family and not open to the public.

We will stay at the four-star Hotel De Tuilerieën, an elegant 15th century patrician house that has been transformed and extended into a luxurious contemporary hotel. Situated in the heart of Bruges overlooking the Dijver Canal, it is minutes from the Groeningemuseum and other sites on our itinerary. Dinners will be taken at local restaurants.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

Art historian Sarah Burles, MA, will lead this tour. Sarah read History of Art at Cambridge before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included twelve years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums. Sarah travelled to Bruges in summer 2018 in preparation for this tour, and is looking forward to introducing ACE travellers to this fascinating city in 2019.