The city remained largely unchanged until the 9th century when the Roman fortifications were further strengthened by the then Count of Flanders against systematic attacks from the marauding Vikings to the North. It was during this period that the name Byrrgia first appeared.

It was not until the 12th century that Bruges began to enter its golden age, spurred by its new link to the North Sea and the building of a then modern city based on a system of canals encased in protective city walls, all of which is still very much part of the city’s charm.

As prosperity grew, so did turmoil. Before long, Bruges was at war under the patronage of the Count of Flanders against the neighbouring French, a successful campaign that saw the emergence of two local heroes, Pieter de Coninc and Jan Breydel. Both men are remembered today courtesy of their two statues in the heart of the city.

Phillip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy, came to prominence in the area by the 15th century, promoting a commercial and artistic empire that saw some of the best minds in the region head to the city as its rise continued. Bruges at this time was an oasis of talent, as oil painting here became known throughout the modern world and William Caxton produced the first book ever in English here.

Bruges flirted with its prosperous past for short periods throughout the proceeding 250 years, but ironically it was not until the Germans constructed the port of Zeebrugge during WWI that the city began to relive its glory days again. Although much of the rest of the country had been turned into one of the worst-destroyed in the history of warfare, Bruges began to germinate.

A blip saw the city occupied by the Germans in WWII, but the port had provided the city a lifeline which it exploited to the full as soon as Adolf Hitler’s defeated Nazis were ousted.