Point of interest Bruges - The Kruisvest (walking path) and the Wind Mills - Photo

The Kruisvest (walking path) and the Wind Mills

Description

You are now walking down the 'Kruisvest', a pleasant footpath with rows of poplar and other majestic trees, along Bruges 'Ringvaart' (circular main canal). The path is part of the 'Vesten', the green belt around the town.

In the 16th century, there used to be at least 30 different wind mills along this former defence line (actually, the outer defence wall of Bruges, dating back to the 13th century). They however started to be abandoned as from the 18th century, when demand for bread started to drop (because of the apparition of potato in the area, as well as the introduction of steam machines that took over the jobs performed up to then by the mills), and disappeared the one after the other. Only four of them remain today, which were all rehabilitated by Bruges Town Council. They are all located on small earth mounts: 'Sint-Janshuismolen', 'Bonne-Chièremolen', 'Koeleweimolen' and 'Nieuwe Papegaai' (''New Parrot4'). In 'Sint-Janshuismolen', wheat is still processed today... but only during the tourist high season anymore, from 1 April to 30 September!

From the top of the small hills where the wind mills stand, you can experience nice sights on the old town in the distance, and also on nice residential areas in front of you. Even if they look quite peaceful and serene today, in the 19th century they were impoverished and feared areas where even the police preferred not to visit, which is testified by the name once given to the place: 'Verloren Hoek' (or Lost Corner)!

Photos

The Kruisvest (walking path) and the Wind Mills can be discovered in the following trails...
Trail Walking Bruges - A Walk around the ''Quiet Bruges'' - Photo
Walking
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Walking

Very easy
(1)
Bruges, Flanders, West Flanders, Belgium
3.5 km | 3.7 km-effort
2h 30min
Yes
© OpenStreetMap contributors

Positioning

Country:
Belgium
Region :
Flanders
Department/Province :
West Flanders
Municipality :
Bruges
Location:
Brugge
Creation date :
11/04/2018 22:54
Updated on
11/04/2018 22:54

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