The swans
Maximilian's punishment became Bruges' loveliest tradition.
No machine-readable author provided. Wiskandar~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sally V — CC BY-SA 4.0 · satya430 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Angelo Brathot from Sologne-France — Public domain
The Minnewater is the romantic lake at the southern end of old Bruges — the "Lake of Love" as popularly translated (the real meaning is probably "common water"), a calm rectangle of water where white swans glide among trees, a stone bridge and the old "Poertoren" tower on its bank, surrounded by a green park. Its legend: Minna, whose father wanted to marry her off against her will, fled to the forest and died in the arms of her beloved, who buried her beneath the water — hence the name and the romantic touch. The swans are a fifteenth-century tradition: a punishment imposed on Bruges by Maximilian of Austria to keep swans on its canals forever after the execution of his counsellor "Pieter Lanchals" (long neck). At the entrance to the Beguinage and near the station — a green break at the end of the southern route, or its start if you arrive by train.
Maximilian's punishment became Bruges' loveliest tradition.
The best angle on the lake and the Poertoren.
Minnewater, 8000 Bruges
De Halve Maan BreweryA family brewery in central Bruges working since 1856, and the last active brewe4 minutes walk4.5
St John's Hospital (Memling Museum)St John's Hospital (Sint-Janshospitaal) is among Europe's oldest surviving hospi6 minutes walk4.4
Beguinage Ten WijngaerdeThe Beguinage ("Ten Wijngaerde" — the vineyard) is Bruges' quietest and most ser7 minutes walk4.5
Church of Our LadyThe Church of Our Lady in Bruges has one of the tallest brick towers in the worl7 minutes walk4.7
Bonifacius BridgeThe Bonifacius Bridge is Bruges' smallest and most romantic bridge: a little sto8 minutes walk4.6Arriving by train: walk 10 minutes from the station to the Minnewater, then the Beguinage, then the Church of Our Lady, the bridge and Sint-Jan up to the Rozenhoedkaai, the Burg and the Markt — the loveliest order for entering Bruges (from quiet to the heart). From the centre: make it the close of the southern route after the Beguinage.