Since 958, the Grote Markt has been the centre of life in Bruges. Arguably the most beautiful square in the city, it is not particularly large at one hectare, but there is still plenty to discover.
In the centre of Bruges
The best place to watch the hustle and bustle on the Grote Markt is from one of the many restaurants and CAfes. Whether delicious frites or Belgian beer - the typical specialties of the country taste especially good in this great ambience.
If you want to continue exploring the city from the Grote Markt, you can do so in comfort from a horse-drawn carriage. The coachmen wait at the market square and offer various tourist rides, during which they tell you a lot about the history of the city.
Weekly market and Christmas market
Wednesdays are the weekly market, where both locals and tourists gather to buy fresh fruit, vegetables and other local delicacies from the many stalls. However, in the winter months this is relocated and gives way to a wonderful Christmas marketincluding an ice skating rink. The weekly market then takes place on the nearby Burg Square.
Sights at the Grote Markt
Some of the most important sights are located directly at the Grote Markt: besides the 83 m high Belfry, the old Cloth Hall, the Provincial Palace as well as an ensemble of colourful guild houses from the 13th century are located here. In the middle of the square stands a statue of the folk heroes Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, who successfully defended the city against the French in 1302. The Historium Bruges and the Bruges Beer Museum are also very close to the square.
