Burg Square

The Burg is Bruges's second great square, a block from the Markt, and architecturally the more interesting of the two. The ensemble of buildings around it spans seven centuries: the Gothic Town Hall (1376) on the south side is one of the oldest in the Low Countries; next to it is the Renaissance-style Old Civil Registry; and on the corner stands the Basilica of the Holy Blood. The north side was occupied by the Cathedral of Saint Donatian until the French demolished it in 1799.

The square feels more intimate than the Markt and is better lit in the late afternoon when the stone facades warm to gold. The Town Hall interior, with its painted ceiling and ornate chimney pieces, is open to visitors and worth the small entrance fee.

things to do sight
A story
The Burg was for centuries the seat of political and religious power in Bruges. The cathedral of Saint Donatian, which once stood here, was demolished in 1799 by French revolutionary authorities who used the stones for other buildings. A canvas by Jan van Eyck, painted for the cathedral and now in the Groeningemuseum, is the only way to see what the building looked like.