During the 19th century, Bruges becomes destination for cultural tourists. Its major assets are history and heritage. Their purpose is to offer Bruges a new future.
Here you can see several prints from the Album pittoresque de Bruges (Picturesque Album of Bruges), a book published in 1837 by Octave Delepierre, consul in London. It’s a collection of cityscapes and pictures of Bruges' most important monuments, aimed at promoting the city. The work has a major impact on how the image of Bruges develops.
The story of Bruges' cultural tourism begins with individuals such as Delepierre. And with the English, who discover Bruges in the early 19th century. They are charmed by the quiet, historical, beautifully preserved but inexpensive city. Bruges becomes a popular travel destination, also due to its favourable location near the coast. Many English families reside here for a while. An English colony springs up, comprising over a thousand people, with its own schools, associations and ... tea rooms.
Later, during the 1880s, new associations stimulate tourism in Bruges. They publish travel guides, organise events and promote Bruges' art treasures abroad. Eventually, the local authorities give tourism their full support. At the same time, many people are becoming increasingly mobile.
Along with the port, tourism in Bruges becomes an important socio-economic factor. And this fits perfectly with its third major asset: Bruges' medieval identity. Because this constitutes the city’s touristic appeal. There is a snowball effect: many tourists testify to their special ties with the old Bruges, in words and with images. And their accounts reinforce Bruges' reputation as a medieval city.