Life Abroad: Touring the Venice of the North
Photo by Elizabeth Norris
Being an American in Europe can come with quite a few culture shocks. The biggest one for me personally has been discovering that they eat French fries with mayonnaise. But a more general observation I’ve made is that everything in Europe is very…old. Most countries in Europe are three times as old as America. That means that almost every town has its own pieces of rich history. There is one city near the coastline of Belgium that has a surplus of history just waiting to be shared: the canal city of Brugge.
Known for its medieval architecture, Brugge (or Bruges) is often referred to as the “Venice of the North” both because of the many canals that line the city landscape and the city’s long history as a trading capital. In fact, from the 12th to 15th centuries, it was the among biggest trading capitals in Europe due to its access to the sea. It was in Brugge that people first began trading goods by exchanging the paperwork of ownership, effectively laying the ground for what we now call the stock exchange. Being almost completely untouched by the World Wars, Brugge is a popular sight-seeing stop in Europe because the historical sights are much more preserved than a lot of other European cities. According to a city tour guide, after the destruction of cities like Paris and London, the mayor of Brugge chose to surrender the city to the Germans. Some of the buildings in the main city span all the way back to the twelfth century, and these buildings are still used today as houses and businesses.
Photo by Elizabeth Norris
It was the city’s historical architecture that attracted me to Brugge for my school holiday. From what I experienced, Brugge is a quiet city with an older population and plenty of museums to make history lovers happy. And some of the best waffles I’ve ever tasted. As one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, the city’s architecture is protected from destruction, extreme renovation, and neglect. UNESCO chooses sites based on their cultural and historical significance. Brugge was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1999, beginning with the Belfry that crowns the city center. This status effectively means that in 50 years, the city will be practically identical to how it is now—with its narrow streets, historical architecture, and small houses.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that I absolutely fell in love with this city. It’s one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever been, and the people are truly the nicest. Almost all of them know English and French fluently, which was a huge relief to me. They also have fun names like Smirkenpoort.