Bruges City Hall

Begun in 1376 on the Burg square, the city hall of Bruges is among the oldest in the Low Countries and a fine example of civic Gothic architecture. Its facade is studded with statues in canopied niches and topped with slender turrets, while the upper Gothic Hall inside is crowned by a richly painted vaulted ceiling and a series of historical murals. The building has served the city's government for more than six centuries. Its ornate frontage helped set the model for town halls across the region.