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Brussels, Belgium - November 2000SummaryWhen Sabena Airlines decided to celebrate their new Dallas to Brussels route by offering discounted airfare, I decided we should spend Thanksgiving in Brussels. Just a short three day trip to check out this European City of Culture and nearby Bruges. HistoryBoth Brussels and Bruges were medieval trade towns but, that's where the similarities end. While Brussels has gone on to become a thoroughly modern city. Bruges has remained fixed in time by a sad (or grand depending on your perspective) trick of mother nature. Brussels was founded in 979 by Charles, the
Duke of Lorraine. Brussels. Later Belgium would become a part of the Spanish
empire. In 1568 a revolt resulted in independence for the Netherlands but, not
Belgium, which become known as Spanish Netherlands. In the early 1700
Bruges is one of Europe's best preserved medieval cities. There was a
Gallo-Roman settlement near Bruges in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. By the
11th century Bruges was a major trade center due in no small part to its direct
access to the sea. High quality cloth was produced in Bruges |
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To book a trip or get more information send an email to
kelly@apostcardhome.com or call (281)334-0427
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Brussels
becomes the capital of Austrian Netherlands under the Hapsburg rule. Then the
city comes under French rule until 1815 when Napoleon was defeated at the battle
of nearby Waterloo. The Dutch assumed control Brussels. Finally, in 1830 a revolution
leads to the crowning of Leopold of Saxe-Coburg as the King of the Belgians. The
myriad of rulers had lead to a linguistic quirk where Belgium has two languages.
Flemish is spoken in the northern part of Flanders and French in Ardennes in the
south. Brussels is located in Flanders but, French is the predominate language.
Highway signs often list the names of towns in both languages and they can be
quite different. Brussels is now the capital of both Belgium and the
European Union. While the old center of the city is intact, everywhere you
turn there are cranes in the distance.
and exported all over Europe. Bruges became part of the Burgundian empire
in the 15th century. During the rule of the Dukes of Burgundy the arts and
banking flourished. The end of the 15th century was the beginning of
Bruges' decline. The Dukes left the city and more importantly the city's
access to the see was lost by the silting up of the river near the coast.
Many of the merchants and trade moved to Antwerp. The city became
increasingly poor as the industrial revolution passed it by. George Rodenbach described Bruges as a sleeping but, mysterious city in "Bruges La
Morte." The merchants loss is our gain however. The city remains
seemingly untouched by modern forces in places.