*** Welcome to piglix ***

Brugge

Bruges
Brugge
Municipality
The Rozenhoedkaai (nl) (canal) in Bruges with the famous Belfry in the background
The Rozenhoedkaai () (canal) in Bruges with the famous Belfry in the background
Flag of Bruges
Flag
Coat of arms of Bruges
Coat of arms
Bruges is located in Belgium
Bruges
Bruges
Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 51°13′N 3°14′E / 51.217°N 3.233°E / 51.217; 3.233Coordinates: 51°13′N 3°14′E / 51.217°N 3.233°E / 51.217; 3.233
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province West Flanders
Arrondissement Bruges
Government
 • Mayor Renaat Landuyt (sp.a)
 • Governing party/ies CD&V, sp.a
Area
 • Total 138.40 km2 (53.44 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)
 • Total 118,053
 • Density 850/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Postal codes 8000, 8200, 8310, 8380
Area codes 050
Website www.brugge.be
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Historic Centre of Bruges
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Northwestern view from the Belfry
Location Belgium
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv, vi
Reference 996
UNESCO region Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 2000 (24th Session)

Bruges (/ˈbrʒ/; Dutch: Brugge [ˈbrʏɣə]; French: Bruges [bʁyːʒ]) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country.

The area of the whole city amounts to more than 13,840 hectares, including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at Zeebrugge (from Brugge aan zee meaning "Bruges on Sea"). The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is oval and about 430 hectares in size. The city's total population is 117,073 (1 January 2008), of whom around 20,000 live in the city centre. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 616 km2 (238 sq mi) and has a total of 255,844 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008.

Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and , it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world. Bruges is well known as the seat of the College of Europe, an elite university institute for European studies regarded as "the EU's very own Oxbridge."


...
Wikipedia

...