Belfort en Hallen (Belfry and Market Halls)

The Belfry was, and is, the symbol of Bruges's civic pride. What poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1856 called "the beautiful, wild chimes" of its magnificent 47-bell carillon peal out over the city every quarter-hour, and several times a day in longer concerts during the summer. The tower stands 84m (272 ft.) high. Its lower section dates from around 1240, with the corner turrets added in the 14th century, and the upper, octagonal section in the 15th century. Climb the 366 steep steps to the Belfry's summit for panoramic views of Bruges and the surrounding countryside all the way to the sea. Pause for breath at the second-floor Treasury, where the town seal and charters were kept behind multiple wrought-iron grilles. From the 13th to the 16th century, much of the city's commerce was conducted in the Hallen. They have recently been brought back into use, as an exhibition center operated by a consortium of local art dealers.

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