BRUGES, formerly a city of the Austrian Nether lands, and a bishop's see, now a city of the French em pire, and capital of the Prclecturc of the department of the Lys, is situated in a beautiful plain about eight miles from the sea. It is a spacious and well built town, about a league and a half in circumference ; but many of the houses are very old, which give it rather a sombre ap pearance. Its principal buildings are,—the stadtltouse, which stands in the great market-place, and has a tower of a very lofty and curious structure ; it is square for a very considerable height, and, instead of being surmount ed by a spire, another octangular tower is placed upon it almost as high, which has, however, rather a surprising than a beautiful effect. The cathedral is a massive and ancient building, but many of its ornaments are disfigur ed by the most incongruous modern additions. The church of Notre Dame is a very beautiful structure, and its lofty steeples serve as a sea-mark to the ships which frequent the port of Ostend. It contains two tombs of gilt copper, of extraordinary magnificence ; and in the treasury are preserved the rich vestments of Thomas a Becket, adorned with precious stones. Besides these, Bruges has several hospitals and schools, where 300 poor children are maintained and educated ; and no place in the low countries is more distinguished for the provision which it affords to widows and orphans.
Bruges formerly held the first place among the cities of the Netherlands ; and, in the 13th and 14th centuries, was the greate-st emporium in Europe. From the im perfection of navigation, a voyage between the Baltic and Mediterranean could not be performed in one season ; Bruges was therefore selected as the most convenient station for establishing a magazine, about midway be tween the commercial cities of the North and those of Italy. Consequently, this city became the staple for the woollen and linen manufactures of the Netherlands, the naval stores and other commodities of the north, and for the Indian as well as domestic productions imported by Venice and the other Italian states, Consuls from every nation resided here, and seventeen palaces or houses are still shewn as their ancient habitations It carried on also a considerable trade with England ; and it was de clared, by a treaty, to be the only market of the Hans towns in the Low Countries. The herring-fishery was prosecuted here to a great extent. Indeed, the inhabi tants of Bruges were the- first who made it an object of commercial speculation ; and it was to this city that the 11°1 .inders were indebted for their knowledge of curing their herring, and also for this branch of commerce, which was the first foundation of their maritime strength.
Bruges, now the first in commerce, soon became also the first in opulence and grandeur ; and we arc told by Guicciardini, that Joanna of Navarre, queen of France, having been some days in Bruges in 1301, was so struck with the splendid dress of the citizens, and the magnifi cence of their buildings, that she exclaimed, with envy and indignation, " I thought that I had been the only queen here, but I find that there are many hundreds more." This city, however, which had risen so rapidly to such an eminence in the commercial world, and had flourished so long under the auspices of the Dukes of Burgundy, as suddenly declined. Its success had ex
cited the envy of Antwerp and Amsterdam ; and its so vereign, the Archduke Maximilian, against whom they had rebelled, and whom they had even arrested, assisted by these cities, blocked up the port of Sluys in 1437, which destroyed its principal communication with the ocean. During this rebellion, which lasted for fourteen months, Amsterdam and Antwerp seized the opportunity of drawing its commerce to their own ports, and thus rose upon its ruins to be its rivals, and soon its superi ors. Being thus reduced to great straits, and fearful of worse consequences, Bruges implored the clemency of its prince, when 56 citizens were condemned to death, a considerable number banished, and the city heavily fined. But from this blow it has never been able to recover. Much of its commerce was removed to Dort, and after wards to Antwerp, where many of its principal merchants also retired ; and the improvements in navigation had rendered its convenience as an emporium for merchan dize less necessary. Much as it has fallen, however, from its former grandeur, it still retains a traffic equal to any city in Flanders. Basidcs its easy communication with Antwerp, Louvain, Mechlin, and Brussels, it com municates also, by means of navigable canals, with Ghent, Sluys, Ostend, Nicuport, Fumes, and Dunkirk, kc.; and this communication is extended by the rivers Scheldt, Scarpe, and Lys, as far as Tournay, Lille, Menin, and Douay. Its port is at the extremity of the canal which leads to Ostend, and is capable of containing 100 mer chant-vessels ; and, from the sluices which are con structed on the Reye canal between Bruges and the sea, at Lecke and Plassendal, which are defended by forts, vessels of 400 tons can easily approach the very centre of the city.
Bruges has various manufactures of broad says, ser ges, baize, and other woollen stuffs ; also dimities, cam lets, and fine linens,—which last are equal to those of Holland, and are sold in a market held every week un der the arcades of the Hotel the Ville. Its laces pass for those of Mechlin, and are sold at the same price. Be sides its manufactures, Bruges exports a considerable quantity of corn, and all kinds of seeds proper for mak ing oil, particularly carat. Its imports are nearly the same with the other cities of Flanders and Brabant.
It was at Bruges, in 1430, that Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. instituted the illustrious order of the Gol den Fleece, upon his marriage with Elizabeth, princess of Portugal. The property belonging to this order was the Franc of Bruges, and contained 37 villages, which enjoyed considerable immunities. The fortifica tions of this city arc very indifferent, and have never been able to stand a long siege. It was several times taken and retaken during Queen Anne's war, and was at last surrendered to the allies, December 30th, 1709. The French troops entered it on the 24th of July 1794, when the magistrates signed a formal submission to the republic of France.
Bruges has a prefect, a secretary-general, a receiver general, a payer of the public money, and a director of the customs. It has also a chamber and tribunal of commerce. Population 35,000. North latitude, 51° I l' 30" ; east longitude, 8° 5'. See Peuchet Dictionnaire, e.:T'c.; and Tynna Almanach du Commerce, 1811. (p)