Zone: The centre

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Bruges is a city in Belgium, and historically it's always been known by the French style of its name – as Bruges. However, modern Belgium is a country with two languages, both French, and Flemish. Bruges' cultural roots are all Flemish, and so we'll be using the local Flemish place-names as we walk around – because they are the ones used by local people! As in many of Europe's medieval cities, the old centre of Bruges took shape around its market squares. The city's oldest market square was called Burg – which took its name from the city fortifications which had once stood there. The market square, called Grote Markt, grew up next to these fortifications, as well as some nearby premises that sold fish, grain, and dairy products, also known as Markt. Today, all of these former trading locations form the heart of the historic city centre. Alongside them are the city's historic sights – the Belfort; the Town Hall, or Stadhuis; the government offices of the West Flanders Province, or Provinciaal Hof; the historic Courthouse; and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which is known as the oldest extant Romanesque-style church building in Flanders.