The first stop on the Monument Men inspired tour was charming Brugge, home of Michelangelo’s sculpture Madonna and Child. Also home to Basilica of the Holy Blood – A revered 12th-century church in Bruges, known for housing a relic believed to contain the blood of Jesus Christ, brought back from the Crusades. The basilica features both Romanesque and Gothic architecture and is the focal point of a major annual religious procession.
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The Legend of the Swans in Brugge
In the late 15th century, the people of Brugge found themselves in political turmoil. After the death of Mary of Burgundy in 1482, the city resisted the rule of her widower, Maximilian of Austria. The citizens were unhappy with Maximilian’s heavy-handed control and high taxes. Tensions rose to a boiling point when Brugge’s people captured and imprisoned Maximilian, and in 1488, executed his advisor, Pieter Lanchals (whose name means “long neck”).
Lanchals was a member of the powerful Habsburg family and a trusted ally of Maximilian. Legend has it that Maximilian, after escaping and regaining control, punished Brugge by ordering the city to keep swans on its canals forever, as a symbol of the long-necked Lanchals and a reminder of their disloyalty and crime.
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Swans Today in Brugge
Whether or not the legend is entirely true, swans have indeed become a permanent and iconic presence in Brugge. You’ll find them gracefully gliding through the canals, especially in the Minnewaterpark area, sometimes called the “Lake of Love.” Local lore and tourist guides love to repeat this story, and many locals embrace the swan as a charming, if slightly ominous, part of Brugge’s identity.
So when you see the swans in Brugge, you’re not just seeing beautiful birds—you’re looking at living symbols of a city’s rebellious spirit and a ruler’s poetic revenge.