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Winter wonderland
Although it is picturesque all year round, the Flemish town of Bruges, in northern Belgium, takes on a special glow at Christmas time, as Renée Cordes discovers
With its canals, cobbled streets and stately gothic architecture, the romantic city of Bruges is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’. At this time of year, the city becomes even more magical with a host of holiday activities. There’s the Christmas market and ice rink (1-31 December) in the market square and the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival (until 11 January) on Station Square.
These events and more are all part of Winter in Brugge, a campaign launched by the tourist office three years ago. And it’s been a huge success: “Winter is now one of our busiest seasons,” explains spokesman Bruno Janssens.
Among the biggest draws is the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival, where 40 specialists from China, Canada, the USA, Sweden, Holland and Belgium (many of them regulars in international competitions) carve works of art from about 300,000kg of ice and 400,000kg of snow. The artists spend four weeks creating their work and they’re then displayed in a thermal tent where the temperature is kept at -6°C.
The sculptures are spectacular. In previous years, visitors have been able to wander through the labyrinth of King Minos, follow the ice tunnel to the Kingdom of Hades and cross a drawbridge into an ornate, multi- chambered ice palace. This year’s theme is magic and wizardry, but organisers prefer not to spoil the surprise by revealing any more. Hats are provided for those who arrive ill- equipped for the cold, and beverages – from vodka on the rocks to mulled wine – are available at the Ice Bar.
Another popular seasonal event is the Brrr…ugge outdoor concert and visual spectacle series, held in the fairy tale setting of the Arentshof and the Gruuthuse Museum courtyard. Concerts are meant to be intimate, drawing in 400 people at most, and span several genres, from klezmer (Yiddish folk music) to gospel.
Some performances feature a unique mix of music and street art. In Floten Tecles (1 and 3 December), the open lid of a grand piano will double as a movie screen while David Moreno provides the soundtrack by singing and playing the piano, percussion and accordion – all while he floats 6m above the stage. And on 27 December, France’s La Salamandre troop will dance with fire in what promises to be a sizzling finale. www.winterinbrugge.be
Don’t miss…
Even Santa needs an occasional break from merrymaking, and fortunately Bruges offers a wealth of cultural diversions
Groeninge Museum
12 Dijver, vlaamsekunst, www.collectie.be
During the Middle Ages, the Flemish Primitives movement put Bruges on the cultural map. The Groeninge Museum is the best place to get acquainted with the works of Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden and their contemporaries. The collection also spans Renaissance and baroque masters, the Flemish Expressionists and post-1945 modern art.
Movie magic
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh’s 2008 offbeat comedy starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, introduced many moviegoers to the city. Fans of the Christmas-themed film can pick up a free map of the sights shown on screen (including the hotel where the two hit men hide out) at the tourist office and take a self-guided tour.
Concertgebouw
34 ’t Zand, www.concertgebouw.be
Built in 2002, the Concertgebouw concert hall is a masterpiece of modern architecture. The large auditorium has excellent acoustics and seats 1,300, while the chamber music hall in the Lantern Tower has a 300-person capacity. This month, the December Dance 08 festival is called Quebec Connections and spotlights contemporary dance in the Canadian province.
Frietmuseum
33 Vlamingstraat, www.frietmuseum.be
The brand new Frietmuseum claims to be the world’s first museum devoted to chips. Among other things, visitors learn about the humble chip’s history and why Belgian frites taste so good. Housed in the stunning 14th-century Saaihalle building, the museum also has a restaurant on site.
See www.brugge.be for more information
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