BELGIUM - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 75

the main Brussels stations. Check departure information in the station you plan to
depart from in Brussels.
Distance: 65 miles (105 km)
To get to the tourist office in Burg Square, board any bus stopping in front of the
railway station that is marked Centrum at the entrance side of the bus. The bus will
take you to the Markt. It stops in the center of the square in front of the Provincial
Palace. To return to the station, board the bus marked O Station at the library on
the square close to the Markt, which can be reached by walking through Kuiper-
straat off the Markt.
Bruges is where the arts reign supreme. Venues range from the Japanese-de-
signed pavilion for the Burg to the Concertgebouw—an arts center of distinction.
Bruges has magnetic attractions—many of which date from the Middle Ages and
the Renaissance—as well as picturesque canals, art treasures, and antiques
shops. Probably the most interesting sight is the Burg, where history has been in
the making since the ninth century. Surrounding the Burg are museums of all de-
scriptions, spectacular church spires, peaceful canals, and fascinating alleyways.
Next to the Burg is the Markt (Marketplace), where you will find the Town Hall
and the Belfry, a remarkable building that dominates the Markt with its famous
280-foot-high octagonal tower. If you are up to it, climb up the Belfry for a panor-
amic view. The Brugge City Card provides free admission to over 20 attractions
along with a visitors guide, discounts at some shops, and a free canal trip. Avail-
able at the tourist office, or online: www.bruggecitycard.be ; €40 for 48 hours, €45
for 72 hours.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, Bruges stood at the crossroads of traffic
between the Mediterranean and the Baltic. Rich cargoes piled high on its docks,
and its warehouses held treasures of spices, cloth, and other luxuries. Bruges was
bursting at the seams during this period. Hundreds of ships dropped anchor in its
harbor. In its medieval magnificence, Bruges boasted a population double that of
London. There was no equal to the grandeur of its court—and no one seemed
alarmed that the estuary linking Bruges with the North Sea was growing more nar-
row and more shallow as the silt from the River Zwyn slowly oozed seaward.
Inexorably, the waterway began to close. Deep-draft ships could no longer nav-
igate the estuary. The docks were abandoned, and Bruges became a victim of its
own progress, a landlocked city. Today, Bruges is a museum of the Middle Ages,
with gabled rooflines casting shadows on its cobblestone streets. Despite the loss