Traditions of Bruges
A medieval canal town of lace, chocolate and the Procession of the Holy Blood each Ascension Day.
Bruges was a rich trading city in the Middle Ages, and its old centre is a World Heritage site. Its craft traditions include bobbin lace and chocolate, and its great religious event, the Procession of the Holy Blood, carries a relic said to be a cloth with the blood of Christ through the city every Ascension Day.
The Holy Blood and the lace
In the procession, over a thousand people in costume present scenes from the Bible and from local history, with the relic carried under a canopy. Bobbin lace is made by hand on a cushion, with many wooden bobbins, and is still taught in the Lace Centre. Beer, brewed locally, has a place in the city's identity.
At the table
Moules-frites, mussels with chips, stoofvlees, beef stew in beer, waterzooi, a creamy fish and chicken stew, are classics. Belgian chocolate in pralines, waffles with sugar or fruit and many kinds of beer, brewed by monks, are enjoyed. Frites come with mayonnaise.
Signature traditions of Bruges
Also part of it, and being written: Bobbin lace (The craft.), Belgian chocolate (The sweet.), Moules-frites (The mussels.).
A trail idea for Bruges
- Markt Hear the carillon.
- Béguinage A quiet courtyard.
- Lace Centre See lacemakers.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Procession of the Holy Blood: Cbl62, CC BY-SA 3.0, source