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Once seen, never forgotten. This is an image which remained with me since my stay in Brugge in 1967/8. At that time I just considered it from an aesthetic point of view and was not much concerned with the history of the building of which it is part.
This is the Gruuthuse palace occupied by the Lords of Bruges, from the 13th to the 16th century - these Lords of Bruges and not the other Lords of Bruges. One would have to admit that these guys were pre-eminent having among other things the franchise on certain taxes - the groat on malt and beer.
This street sign, all of which signs are now solely in Flemish in Brugge, helpfully tells us that Gruuthuse was the family name of medieval gentlemen.
The family emblem was a firing cannon, though this one on the ground is taking a break from its perch during the current renovations.
However, the most famous of them all is still on his perch above the door - Louis de Gruuthuse (1422-92). Louis had a huge book collection, 190 volumes including those printed by Colard Mansion whose work I saw at the fascinating Haute Lecture exhibition in the Groeninge museum.
You can see the family motto Plus est en vous (there's more to you) exhorting all to stretch themselves. This motto was quoted by the Rector of the College of Europe when addressing his students at the closing of the academic year. Very much keeping the motto alive and in tune with the ethos of the College.
The family had a passageway leading from the palace to the balcony of the adjacent church of Our Lady making this magnificent church their own private chapel, sort of.
The sign, in need of a lick of paint, tells us that the palace is now a museum. Unfortunately I couldn't check it out as it's currently closed for renovations.
I was most frustrated to find the museum flying the European flag upside down and because of its closure having no one to report it to. Perhaps it will be righted by the time the museum opens again.
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