Gezellehuis
Birthplace of the poet Guido Gezelle, with manuscripts, personal belongings and a quiet garden with a kitchen garden.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Gezellehuis is the birthplace of Guido Gezelle (1830-1899), priest, poet and linguist from the Dutch-language area. He was born in this house and spent his youth there. The dwelling itself dates back to the sixteenth century.
Gezelle wrote mainly poetry, but also prose, magazine articles and political polemics, and did not shy away from experiment. Five themes illuminate his work: nature, religion, friendship, language and folklore studies, and tradition and renewal. His personality and his writing come to life in manuscripts, photographs and books. You can also see his writing desk, his travel case and his rosary.
The house has a shady garden with an organic kitchen garden, an ode to the nature that inspired Gezelle so much. At the entrance stands the statue De man die vuur geeft (The Man Who Gives Fire) by Jan Fabre. After Fabre’s conviction, Musea Brugge decided not to remove the statue from the garden, but to link it to a broad conversation about cross-border misconduct and abuse of power in the cultural world.
Highlights
- Manuscripts, photographs and books of Guido Gezelle
- His writing desk, travel case and rosary
- Birthplace of the poet, a sixteenth-century house
- Shady garden with an organic kitchen garden
- Statue De man die vuur geeft by Jan Fabre at the entrance
Permanent exhibition
- Guido Gezelle, dichter en taalkundige – Manuscripts, photographs, books and personal belongings of Gezelle illuminate five themes from his work: nature, religion, friendship, language and folklore, and tradition and renewal.
- Operated by
- Musea Brugge (Stad Brugge)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Group tickets (up to 15 participants) can be booked online. Primary and secondary schools visit the museum free (class groups of up to 25 people, including supervisors). |
|---|
Admission to the Gezellehuis is free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: not available
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is wheelchair-accessible; the toilet is not. Pushchairs are accessible. Wheelchairs can be taken on all De Lijn buses. Assistance and guide dogs are allowed; other pets are not.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Stroller-friendly
Musea Brugge describes all its museums as child- and family-friendly. The garden with its kitchen garden is a quiet place to spend some time.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Brugge Kruispoort (Kazernevest)
Nearest De Lijn bus stop: Brugge Kruispoort (Kazernevest, stop 512124). Nearest railway 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 Langestraat. The whole city centre is a paid parking zone for visitors. Preferably park at the free edge-of-town and 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. Plan your route via the De Lijn website.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Wi-Fi
Garden, bicycle parking and free toilets (during the garden’s opening hours). Wi-Fi is available at the facilities.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash and without a tripod is allowed; photos and films are for personal, non-commercial use only. |
| Good to know | Plan a guided tour through one of Bruges’ recognised guide associations. Tickets for the museum can be reserved online. |
