World of Stamps: By Geir Sør-Reime

Bruges is the capital of the Belgian province of West and is its largest city, with around 120,000 inhabitants. The city of Bru- ges also includes the seaport of Zeebrugge, which is both an important commercial port (opened in 1905) and a seaside resort area.

2011 postcard cancelled with Bruges post-office pictorial cancel (with enlargement of cancel), picture side of card showing Belfry, post-office and house of the region of West-Flanders, post-office in the center The historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed area (inscribed in 2000). It is an oval-shaped me- dieval fortified city. In fact, the city and its for- tifications date back to the time of Emperor Cae- sar of Rome. The Roman fortifica- 2009 Belgian World Heritage sites, full souve- tions were rein- nir sheet (see also, page 2)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  2009 Belgian World Heritage sites, single (second stamp from right on full souvenir sheet, page 1) showing left to right, Welcome Church of Our Lady, St. Giles’ Church and Belfry Tower). forced in the 9th century to withstand Viking attacks. Around this time, the city began to be known as Bryggia, probably meaning “landing stage” or “port”. Bruges was granted a city charter in 1128, when new city walls and new ca- nals also were built. Although its sea ac- cess had gradually silted up from around 1050, a storm in 1139 opened a new sea access for Bruges. During the 12th century, Bruges became a center of wool trade and a woolens weaving in- dustry and the city experienced its golden age, also based on trade in other commodities. In 1309, the Bourse opened as probably the first stock-exchange in the world. The central square of Bruges, the Market Square, is dominated by the huge Belfry. It was originally built around 1240, but was rebuilt to its current state in 1483-87. It is 270 f e e t 1939 Belfry of high. Bruges semi- Be- p o s t a l ( S c . B256) hind the Belfry are a num- ber of festive halls. At a square next to the Market Square is the City Hall of Bruges, built in 1376. On the Market square, and near to the Belfry is 2002 postcard cancelled with Bruges machine cancel (no longer in use, mail is now cancelled and processed in Ghent). Picture side shows post-office on right and house of the province on left.

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Market Square photo both the Main Post-Of- fice and the Provincial Court, both neo-clas- sic buildings from the 19th century. The rest of the Market square is occupied by restau- rants, during summer of course extending onto the square. The Belfry of Bruges has been depicted on several stamps. A 2009 souvenir sheet (page 1) contained stamps dedicated to Belgian World Heritage sites, including the historic center of Bruges. On the Bruges stamp (page 2), the Welcome Church of Our Lady is shown to the left, the St. Giles’ Church in the center and the Belfry Tower to the right. The Welcome Church of Our Lady’s tower is the tall- est structure in Bruges, being 400 feet high. The church itself has parts built during the 13th, 14th and 15th cen- turies. The St.Giles’ Church dates from the 15th century. My first visit to Bruges was in 2002 when the city was Europe’s Capital of Culture. The construction of the city’s new concert hall (depicted at project state on one of the three stamps issued in 2002 for the city’s status as Capital of Culture) was started in 2000 and opened officially in 2002 (on February 20, at 20.02 hours).

2002 for Bruges as European Capital of Culture, the stamp in the centre shows the plans for the new concert hall and restoration of the City Theatre) (Sc. 1900-02)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  When I was in Bruges recently, our first session was held in the Provincial Court at the Market Square. I then also visited the Post-Office, which has a philatelic date- stamp showing the Belfry. The Bruges Bel- fry was first depicted on a stamp in 1939, one of the Anti-TB semi-postals issued that year (see page 2). It was also depicted 1974 Belfry on one of Bruges (Sc. of the 875) 1 9 7 4 Historic buildings stamps. The Belfry also appears on a postal card issued in 2001 and depicting old and contemporary scenes of the Steen- straat leading up to 2001 postal card showing an old and a the Market Square. contemporary view of Steenstraat (Stone The city arms of Street) with the Belfry in the background. Bruges was shown on (Reminder: for closer views, use your pdf one of the 1940 Winter magnifier tool.) Relief semi-postals, and the arms of the province of West Flanders, of which Bruges is the capital, was depicted on one of the 1945 Anti-TB semi-post- als. The Left, 1940 semi-postal with Arms m a i n of Bruges (Sc. B267); right, 1945 p a r t semi-postal with Arms of West of our Flanders (Sc. B408) m e e t - ing in Bruges was held in the old St. John's Hospice, founded around 1180, 1975 Hospice of St. now converted into a conference cen- John, Bruges (Sc. ter and a museum. It was depicted on 926)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  one of the 1975 stamps commemorating the European Architectural Heritage Year (page 4). The Flemish poet Guido Gezelle was born in Bruges in 1830 and died there in 1899. He was a vicar in Bruges and Kor- trijk. A stamp was issued in 1949 com- memorating the 50th anniversary of his death. 1 9 4 9 G u i d o The early Flemish painters Hans Mem- Gezelle semi- p o s t a l , S c . ling (1430-1494), Gerard David (1460- B467 1523) and Jan van Eyck (c.1395-1441) all lived in Bruges for parts of their life. Several of their works have appeared on Belgian stamps. A 1949 stamp commemo- rated an exhibition of David’s works in Bruges. A Memling museum is housed in the Old St.John’s Hospice. Bruges is also well-known for its 1949 exhibition lace, and a set of of Gerard Da- three 1989 stamps vid paintings were dedicated to in Bruges (Sc. three lace-making 399) 1989, Bruges lace- cities of , including Bru- making, Sc. 1310 ges. The Battle of the Golden Spurs was fought near , south of Bruges in the province of West Flan- ders on July 11, 1302, where Flemish militia infantry managed to defeat a French cavalry force. 1977 Battle of the Gold- en Spurs (Sc. 989) The battle was com- memorated on a 1977 stamp. Two Flemish freedom fighters from Bruges are com- memorated with a monument in Bruges:

1987 statue of and , Bruges freedom fighters born in Bruges, Battle of the Golden Spurs (Kortrijk) (Sc. 1271)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, and this monument was featured on a 1987 stamp (page 5). A special feature of many Flemish towns is the Bégui- nages. The one in Bruges, built in 1245, was restored partly with funds collected through a series of semi-postal stamps issued in 1954 and depicting scenes from the

1954 semi-postals for Béguinage of Bruges (Sc. B561-B566) pic- ture scenes from the Béguinage of Bruges and lower right, Our Lady of the Vine

Béguinage. A Béguinage is a kind of religious community similar to a monastery, but with less strict rules and regu- lations. In 1998, the Flemish Béguinages were inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage list. Thirteen such mini- towns are included in the designation, including the one in Bruges. The German Hanseatic League estab- lished itself in Bruges on the invitation of the city council, in the Oosterlingenhuis, gifted to them by the city in 1485. In Bruges, in the Church of Our Lady, there are also the tombs of Mary, Duchess of Burgundy (lived 1457-1482) and her fa- ther, Duke Charles the Bold (1433-1477). A 2006 Oosterlin- genhuis, Bru- 1981 stamp depicted the two tombs (page ges (Sc. 2162) 7). Every year on Ascension Day since 1291, there has been a procession of the Holy Blood through Bruges,

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  commemorating when blood of Jesus was brought to Bruges by Derrick of Alsace and Duke of Flan- ders, from a crusade in 1150. The relic is kept in the Basilica of

Maximum card with mausoleum of Duch- ess of Burgundy and Duke Charles the Bold, stamp (Sc. 1081) canceled on Oc- tober 10, 1981 first day of issue. the Holy Blood on the Burg Square. 1983, Procession of the The procession was depicted on a Precious Blood, Sc. 1143 1983 stamp. As the sea access to Bruges gradu- ally silted up, a new port for Bruges at the North Sea coast was planned and opened in 1907. The 50th anniver- sary and the centenary of the Port of Zeebrugge, which is administratively 1957 50th anniver- part of the City sary of Zeebrugge of Bruges, were harbor (Sc. 506) both commemo- rated with stamps, in 1957 and 2007, re- spectively. A plan of 1985, Zeebrugge Har- the port appeared on bor plan (Sc. 1201) a 1985 stamp issued for the Permanent International Navigation Congress Association. When Zeebrugge was built, a tall light- house was erected in the nearby municipal- 2 0 0 6 l i g h t - ity of Heist to guide ships into the port. This house in Heist lighthouse was depicted on a 2006 stamp. at the entrance to Zeebrügge (Sc. 2151)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  1995 postal card publiciz- ing Marcophilately, the collection of date stamps etc., here a pictorial cancel from Zeebrugge, marking the centenary of the port, and part of a publicity cancel from Halle

All along the Belgian coast, from the border with the Netherlands to the bor- der with France runs the longest tram line in the world (42 miles long), the coast tram. On its way from Knokke to De Panne, it also passes Zeebrugge. It 2008 showing coastal was depicted on a 2008 stamp. tram (Sc. 2288)

Issue 13 - January 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net