Brugge

Situated at a trading crossroads in northern Flanders, Bruges became a commercial capital from the 12C. Its wealth made it beautiful – the centre is now a Unesco World Heritage site – with churches, monuments and fine houses built around a network of canals, giving it the nickname Venice of the North. Bruges is also the birthplace of Flemish painting, and has long been renowned for its flags and lacemaking, and its Ascension Day festivities culminating in the procession of the Holy Blood.
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