Ghent, Belgium & Brugge, Belgium

Ghent (/ˈɡɛnt/; Dutch: Gent [ɣɛnt]; French: Gand [ɡɑ̃]) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province and after Antwerp the largest municipality of Belgium. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie and in the Late Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe with some 50,000 people in 1300. It is a port and university city. Ghent is Belgium’s second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. Much of the city’s medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is the largest carfree area in Belgium. Interesting highlights are the Saint Bavo Cathedral with the Ghent Altarpiece, the belfry, the Gravensteen castle, and the splendid architecture along the old Graslei harbour. Ghent established a nice blend between comfort of living and history. The beguinages, as well as the belfry and adjacent cloth hall, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1998 and 1999.

Stadhuis Gent, Botermarkt, Ghent, Belgium.

Korenmarkt, Ghent, Belgium.

Boating on the river Leie (Dutch and German) or Lys (French). This is river in France and Belgium, and a left tributary of the Scheldt. Its source is in Pas-de-Calais, France, and it flows into the river Scheldt in Ghent, Belgium.

Saint Nicholas’ Church, Cataloniëstraat, Ghent, Belgium.

Sint-Baafsplein. The attractive town square in Ghent Belgium (Gent) that is situated between the Royal Dutch Theatre, the Belfry Tower and St. Bavo’s Cathedral is called Sint-Baafsplein.

Cafe in the Belgian city of Ghent.

 

 

Brugge, Belgium

Bruges (/ˈbruːʒ/; Dutch: Brugge [ˈbrɵɣə]; French: Bruges [bʁyːʒ]) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country.

The city has canals and coast. The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world. Bruges is well known as the seat of the College of Europe, an elite university institute for European studies regarded as “the EU’s very own Oxbridge.”

Brugge, Belgium. Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world.

Horse carriage. Brugge, Belgium. Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world.

Brugge, Belgium. Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. It is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North.

Horses at Brugge, Belgium. Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. It is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North.

In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, Place De Bruges. The Markt of Bruges is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the Provincial Court.

In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, Place De Bruges. The Markt of Bruges is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the Provincial Court.

In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, Place De Bruges. The Markt of Bruges is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the Provincial Court.

Quaint shops at Brugges, Belgium.

Quaint shops at Brugges, Belgium.

Basilica of the Holy Blood, Burg, Bruges, Belgium. The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Bruges, Belgium. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel of the residence of the Count of Flander. The church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders.

Street art installations near Coudenys nv, Coupure, Bruges, Belgium. Europe.

Breidelstraat, Bruges, Belgium

Saw these lovely dogs at Bruges, Belgium

Bruges by boat Everyone, who visites Bruges, the Venice of the North, is sure to make a boat-trip on its famous canals. The embarcation point is situated in the heart of the beautiful surroundings. Boat-trips take about 30 minutes and gets to see beautifull places buildings from a view that you can only see by boat.

 

To view the rest of the images please visit: http://www.photonicyatra.com/Destinations/Belgium-Brussels/

 

 

Brussels, Belgium

Brussels (French: Bruxelles, [bʁysɛl] Dutch: Brussel, [ˈbrɵsəl]), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest), is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels which is the de jure capital of Belgium.The Brussels-Capital Region is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community.

Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a major centre for international politics and has become the polyglot home of numerous international organizations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are also located in Brussels. Historically a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a language shift to French from the late 19th century onwards. Today the majority language is French, and the Brussels-Capital Region is an officially bilingual enclave within the Flemish Region.

Brussels (Bruxelles), Belgium, Europe.

The Atomium – Giant stainless steel atom, particles connected by escalators, with exhibitions & views from 92m. The Atomium in Brussels was originally constructed for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The name is a combination of atom and aluminium.

The Atomium – Giant stainless steel atom, particles connected by escalators, with exhibitions & views from 92m. The Atomium in Brussels was originally constructed for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The name is a combination of atom and aluminium.

National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg. Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur à Koekelberg. Bruxelles, Belgium. Europe.

Children playing at the Charles Buls Fountain. Charles Buls or Karel Buls (13 October 1837 – 13 July 1914) was a Belgian politician and mayor of the City of Brussels. Bruxelles, Belgium, Europe.

La Maturite. Bruxelles Belgium.

Royal Square. Place Royale. Former site of Brussels’ main market & original royal palace, built to a design by Barnabe Guimard. Bruxelles, Belgium.

St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

People laze on the grass in front of St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

Two girls shopping at the Godiva Belgian chocolate store at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Window shopping at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Famous pissing boy at Godiva Belgian chocolate store at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. Manneken Pis (little pee man in Flemish) is a Belgian icon created by Jerome Duquesnoy. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Guildhalls on the Grand Place, Brussels City Museum, Brussels, Belgium. De Gulden Boot – Grote Markt. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Panoramic evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Panoramic evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

 

To view rest of the images in high resolution images please visit: http://www.photonicyatra.com/Destinations/Belgium-Brussels/