Tower · Bruges, Belgium
Belfry of Bruges
The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium.
Photo: Adiel lo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Bruges, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Type | Tower |
| Coordinates | 51.2083° N, 3.2247° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Belfry of Bruges is known for
The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium.
About Belfry of Bruges
The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium. One of the city's most prominent symbols, the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other dangers.
History
The belfry was added to the Markt (market square) around 1240, when Bruges was an important centre of the Flemish cloth industry. After a devastating fire in 1280, the upper half of the tower was largely rebuilt. The city archives, however, were forever lost to the flames.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Belfry of Bruges website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Bruges |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) |
| Distance from the airport | 15.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) · Oostende, Belgium · 15.2 miles away
- Lille Airport (LIL) · Lesquin, France · 44.7 miles away
- Brussels Airport (BRU) · Zaventem, Belgium · 58.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Belgium
More towers
Frequently asked questions
What is Belfry of Bruges?
The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium.
Where is Belfry of Bruges located?
Belfry of Bruges is in Bruges, Belgium. Its coordinates are 51.2083° N, 3.2247° E.
How do I get to Belfry of Bruges?
The nearest town is Bruges, and the nearest airport is Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST), about 15.6 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Belfry of Bruges?
The belfry was added to the Markt (market square) around 1240, when Bruges was an important centre of the Flemish cloth industry. After a devastating fire in 1280, the upper half of the tower was largely rebuilt.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfry_of_Bruges — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2441211 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.museabrugge.be — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.