Belfort van Brugge
Medieval city tower on the Markt with 366 steps, a treasury and a carillon of 47 bells, with views over the whole of Bruges.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Belfry rose in the thirteenth century above the covered halls on the Markt, where wool and cloth were traded. The tower was a symbol of civic prosperity; in a treasury it kept the city charters, the city seal and the city coffers, and later also the archive with the city accounts.
A fire in 1280 destroyed the upper part of the tower; it was restored around 1291–1296. Between 1483 and 1487 the octagonal Gothic upper section was added. Afterwards fire and lightning repeatedly caused damage; since 1822 the tower has carried a neo-Gothic crown instead of a spire.
The tower is 83 metres high and leans slightly. It was thoroughly restored in 1964–1971. Since 1999 the Belfry, together with other belfries in Belgium and France, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List; since 2019 it has been part of Musea Brugge. The carillon has 47 bells and is played by the city carillonneur.
Highlights
- Climb of 366 steps to a panoramic view over Bruges and its surroundings
- Treasury where the city charters, city seal and city coffers were kept in the Middle Ages
- Carillon drum that drives the bells, and the keyboard in the tower room
- Carillon of 47 bells, played by the city carillonneur
- UNESCO World Heritage since 1999
Permanent exhibition
- Schatkamer en beiaard – On the way up you visit the treasury and the carillon drum; in the tower room stands the keyboard on which the carillonneur plays the bells.
- Operated by
- Musea Brugge (Stad Brugge)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €15 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €13Visitors under 18 |
| Children & teens | €13free up to age 6 · Children under 7 enter free; from 7 to 17 you pay the rate for young people under 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers of people who cannot visit the museum independently enter free; reserve a free ticket online or on site. |
| Groups | –No group visits possible. |
| Musea Brugge Card (72 hours, all open Musea Brugge locations) | €49€37 for under 26, €25 for under 18; the card is only activated at the first visit and can be activated up to one year after purchase |
| Museumpas (1 year, all Musea Brugge locations and more than 250 other Belgian museums) | €64.95 |
Weekdays in the winter period (3 November–31 March): €15, young people under 18 €13. In the summer period, at weekends, on public holidays and in the Christmas period (26–31 December): €16, young people under 18 €14. For the Belfry the reduction applies to visitors under 18. Residents of Bruges and of the sub-municipalities Koolkerke, Sint-Andries, Sint-Michiels, Assebroek, Sint-Kruis, Dudzele, Lissewege and Zeebrugge, and Friends of Musea Brugge, visit the locations free of charge; admission is also free with ICOM, Museumpas, Merito Club, Riebedebie (passport campaign), SELECT Card and the Brugse Stadsgids with FTG card. Reserve a free ticket online and have it activated at the desk with your card or identity card. Holders of an UiTPAS regio Brugge with the reduced rate get a discount, only via the Musea Brugge website; with the UiTPAS you can also collect points. An online ticket cannot be changed, exchanged or cancelled.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance and the route to the top consist of (steep) stairs and are not suitable for wheelchairs. The accessible toilet is wheelchair-accessible. There is a tactile model of the Belfry and the Halls. The steep staircase is less suitable for visitors with a visual impairment and for assistance dogs. Free hearing protection against the noise of the carillon is available on request from the museum assistants.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
Children under 7 enter free. The Belfry is a good choice for a family visit: on the way you see the treasury and the carillon drum, and at the top the view extends to the sea in fine weather. For safety reasons the Belfry is not accessible to nursery groups.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Brugge Wollestraat
Nearest De Lijn bus stop: Brugge Wollestraat (stop 552093). The city centre shuttle bus also runs nearby. Nearest train station: Brugge station.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own; the nearest car park is Parking Centrum-’t Zand. The whole city centre is a paid parking zone; park preferably at the free park-and-ride car parks, at P Centrum Station or in the underground public car parks.
Wheelchairs can be taken on all De Lijn buses and on the city centre shuttle bus. Plan your route via the De Lijn website.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
Museum shop and bicycle parking. Free wifi at Musea Brugge locations.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | no |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash and without a tripod is allowed; photo and film recordings are for personal, non-commercial use only. |
| Good to know | Climbing the 366 steps takes a reasonable amount of effort; visit the Belfry only if you are in good physical condition. There are no guided tours and no group visits. Classes (maximum 25 pupils) are welcome, except nursery groups; schools from Bruges enter free. |
