Page 119 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

BRUGES  117

P Begijnhof
Wijngaardplein 1. Tel (050) 330011.
Open daily.
The Bruges begijnhof was
founded in 1245 by Margaret
of Constantinople, Countess of
Flanders. Entered via an 18th-
century gatehouse at the end of
a bridge that runs over a canal,
this is an area of quiet tree-lined
paths faced by white, gabled
houses and a green at the centre.
It is an enjoy able place for a stroll
Warm brick tones in an inner courtyard of the Sint-Janshospitaal and visitors can also walk into
the small church that was built
(400-ft) tall spire is one of the in the open-plan site of the old here in 1602. The nuns who live
tallest in Belgium. The interior, chapel, there is the small but in these houses today are no
with its white walls, stark supreme collection of Hans longer béguines (see p65) but
columns and black-and- Memling’s paintings. This Benedictine sisters who moved
white tiled floor has a includes the St Ursula Shrine, here in the 1930s. One of the
medieval simplicity, while a reliquary painted with scenes houses is open to visitors and
the side chapels and pulpit from the legend of St Ursula, dis plays simple rustic furniture
are lavishly decorated. The Adoration of the Magi and and artifacts that illustrate the
One of the church’s artistic the polyptych of The Mystic béguines’ contemplative lives.
highlights is Michelangelo’s Marriage of St Catherine (see
1505 sculpture, Madonna and p106). The martyr doms of St John Y Minnewater
Child, located at the end of the Baptist and St John the Just south of the begijnhof,
the southern aisle. This marble Divine (to whom the hospital Minnewater is a peaceful park
statue was imported by a was dedicated) are illustrated with a lake. The name prob ably
Flemish merchant, and was in side-panels. means innerwater, but because
the only one of the artist’s minne is a Dutch word for love,
works to leave Italy during his E Brouwerij De Halve Maan Minnewater is often referred to
lifetime. In the choir, there are Walplein 26. Tel (050) 444222 as The Lake of Love. Swans have
fine paintings by Pieter Pourbus Open 11am–4pm daily (to 5pm Sat). been here since 1488 when
(1523–84), including his 1562 & 8 7 0 = ∑ halvemaan.be Maximilian of Austria ordered
Last Supper, and the carved The Halve Maan (Half Moon) is that they be kept in memory of
mausoleums of the Burgundian a historic brewery and museum his councillor, Pierre Lanchals,
duke Charles the Bold and his in the centre of Bruges. The who was beheaded by the
daughter, Mary. brewery is a family business Bruges citizens. The Lanchals
with a tradition stretching back coat of arms features a swan.
E Sint-Janshospitaal through six generations to 1856. Once a bustling harbour
Mariastraat 38. Tel (050) 476100. This is where the Bruges city connected to canals and the
Open 10am–5pm daily. & 9 7 beer, Brugse Zot – a strong- sea, the Minnewater can today
= ∑ museabrugge.be tasting, high-fermentation beer be reached by the barges that
This site has been occupied based on malt, hops and special take visitors on a tour of Bruges.
since the 12th century by the yeast – is brewed. Guided tours It is also a popular spot for
St-Janshospitaal, which closed taking 45 minutes start on every walkers and picnickers, featuring
as a working hospital only hour and give an in-depth a pretty 15th-century lock gate,
in 1976. During Bruges’s insight into the brewing process. sluicegate house and the 1398
Burgundian Golden Age in the They end with a beer tasting. gun powder tower, Poedertoren.
15th century, the great German-
born painter Hans Memling
(c.1430–94) created a number
of exqui site paint ings,
commissioned specially for the
hospital chapel in about 1479.
The remark able museum here
today therefore has two aspects.
First, there are the evocative
medieval hospital wards
with antique beds, medical
instruments, paintings and
documentation as well as an
old apotheek (pharmacy). Then, The sluicegate house on the Southern Bridge at the Minnewater

116-117_EW_Belgium.indd 117 18/10/16 2:56 pm