0137 MINNEWATER Brugge…
Tour of Europe 04 2016
Day 13 The Minnewater, from superstition to romance
The Minnewater is one of the best-known and most frequently visited places in Bruges.
The oldest existing photograph of Bruges dates from 1845 and depicts a scene on the Minnewater.
There are different opinions about the origins of the name. Most people now agree that the name derives from the Middle Dutch word ‘minne’, which means ‘water spirit’.
During the Middle Ages, superstitious people believed that an evil water spirit lived under the bridge at this spot. But ‘minne’ also means love, an interpretation that led to the more romantic French translation of the name as ‘Lac d’Amour’.
The Minnewater is the place where the River Reie entered the city. The flow of the Reie was notoriously variable. If rainfall was heavy, the water level rose rapidly, so that the lower lying land on both sides of its banks was soon flooded. As the city gradually expanded, it became necessary to build on this low-lying land. This meant that the
temperamental Reie needed to be controlled. For this reason, a series of locks and weirs were constructed during the 13th century. This led to the creation of the Minnewater, as a water catchment area and reservoir.
There is a Lockhouse above the locks, I sit with my back against it, I have always loved the view from there.
The beautiful reflection in the water is of the striking building on the eastern shore of the Lake of Love, the castle de la Faille . This neo-Gothic castle was built in 1893.
The first wooden Minnewater bridge was built during the 14th century. It was replaced during the 18th century with the current arched bridge in stone. The sturdy rampart tower dates from the end of the 14th –beginning of the 15th century, and once served as the city’s gunpowder storage depot.
I wish you a day full of beauty and thank you for your visit, Magda, (*_*)
For more of my other work or if you want to PURCHASE (ONLY PLACE TO BUY OUR IMAGES!), VIEW THE NEW PORTFOLIOS AND LATEST NEWS HERE on our website: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
0137 MINNEWATER Brugge…
Tour of Europe 04 2016
Day 13 The Minnewater, from superstition to romance
The Minnewater is one of the best-known and most frequently visited places in Bruges.
The oldest existing photograph of Bruges dates from 1845 and depicts a scene on the Minnewater.
There are different opinions about the origins of the name. Most people now agree that the name derives from the Middle Dutch word ‘minne’, which means ‘water spirit’.
During the Middle Ages, superstitious people believed that an evil water spirit lived under the bridge at this spot. But ‘minne’ also means love, an interpretation that led to the more romantic French translation of the name as ‘Lac d’Amour’.
The Minnewater is the place where the River Reie entered the city. The flow of the Reie was notoriously variable. If rainfall was heavy, the water level rose rapidly, so that the lower lying land on both sides of its banks was soon flooded. As the city gradually expanded, it became necessary to build on this low-lying land. This meant that the
temperamental Reie needed to be controlled. For this reason, a series of locks and weirs were constructed during the 13th century. This led to the creation of the Minnewater, as a water catchment area and reservoir.
There is a Lockhouse above the locks, I sit with my back against it, I have always loved the view from there.
The beautiful reflection in the water is of the striking building on the eastern shore of the Lake of Love, the castle de la Faille . This neo-Gothic castle was built in 1893.
The first wooden Minnewater bridge was built during the 14th century. It was replaced during the 18th century with the current arched bridge in stone. The sturdy rampart tower dates from the end of the 14th –beginning of the 15th century, and once served as the city’s gunpowder storage depot.
I wish you a day full of beauty and thank you for your visit, Magda, (*_*)
For more of my other work or if you want to PURCHASE (ONLY PLACE TO BUY OUR IMAGES!), VIEW THE NEW PORTFOLIOS AND LATEST NEWS HERE on our website: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved