Today we visited Bruges, commonly accepted as one of the most beautiful cities in the Low Countries. During our picnic, Professor Dewulf presented the city as the highlight of the program visits. It did however come with a single warning, that Bruges would be a step into a true medieval city, preserved in all of its mysteries and antiquities… if it were not for the hordes of tourists that pass through each month. And as with any such attraction, there is always great business in the tourism. Because of this, and despite the centuries of history and design that time has not erased, the way the city caters to foreigners takes away from the authentic nature that the city would otherwise undoubtedly have. But that is a small complaint and takes little away in comparison to the beauty, grandeur, and historical significance of Bruges.
During our tour, Professor Dewulf described Bruges in the Middle Ages as the New York or Shanghai of today. At its height, it was the wealthiest city in Europe and could boast the tallest belfry at its center. Another interesting fact of the city’s prominence is it being the home of the world’s first stock exchange to supplement its banking industry. The extravagance of Bruges can best be exemplified in the purchase of the most exquisite relic to draw Catholics to its cathedral: the city acquired a vial of the blood of Christ. I will not discuss the validity of such a claim, but I will say that such as acquisition conveys the very materialistic and superficial nature of the city. There is a famous quote from the movie Jerry Maguire that the sums up my opinion of the city, where the purely money-minded protagonist played by Tom Cruise yells at the top of his lungs “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”
Interestingly enough, as Bruges was such an international city, its relationship with foreign interests brought in great wealth as well as conflict. For example, France attempted to thwart its trade with the United Kingdom in wartime, due to the large market the city provided. Additionally, Bruges reliance on Ostende ports consequently marked the decline of the city when Ostende was taken away from the Netherlands. Without its port, Antwerp and Amsterdam became the de facto economic powerhouses of the Low Countries. Today Bruges is dominated by the tourist industry, full of designer boutiques and chain stores to cater to the masses: a pristine medieval city with a contemporary spin.
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