Heille, Bruges and Heille

Visit the capital and largest city of West Flanders: Bruges. Despite its importance and size, the charming town has a small-scale feel. Much of the atmosphere is determined by the 430-hectare historic centre, which is listed as a medieval city on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Cute little houses, historic streets and lovely squares are waiting to be discovered. Of the 117,000 inhabitants, only 20,000 live in the centre. Bruges is an important economic centre. It is striking that most employment opportunities are not offered in the tourist centre, but that many people work in the port. This port is well connected to the rest of the world; it is centrally located with respect to other North Sea ports and has good connections to all countries of continental Europe. Due to a large depth in the access channel and along the quays, many types of industrial ships can reach the port. On the edge of the urban agglomeration of Bruges lies an old hamlet that has now been incorporated as a district of the city. The castle of Male is by far the most interesting sight in this part of the city and is also called the Sint-Trudoabdij. The abbey was founded around 1050, when a hermit started building a modest place of worship. He gained followers who soon formed a community. A church and a monastery were built, which burned down in 1261. Both were rebuilt closer to the road to Kortrijk. For years, the religious building was used for religious confession, until it became private property in 2011.