The Liberty of Bruges Palace

The Palace of the Franc de Bruges, former seat of economic power

Impossible to explore Bruges without passing by the Palace of the Franc de Bruges, on Burg Square. It is here that great economic and administrative decisions were once made. The Bruges audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this major institution of the history of the city and its region.

The seat of a regional institution

The Palace of the Franc de Bruges, the Brugse Vrije in Dutch, was the residence from which the Franc de Bruges, the vast countryside surrounding the city, was administered. This institution, abolished in 1795, played a leading economic and administrative role. The building, located on Burg Square, testifies to the power and organisation of Bruges in the time of its splendour.

What to see

The palace houses notably a famous richly carved Renaissance fireplace, a witness of the refinement of the era. Its façade is part of the remarkable ensemble of Burg Square. It is a stop for lovers of history and decorative arts, shedding light on the functioning of the city and its region in the golden age of Bruges.

Practical information

The Palace of the Franc de Bruges lies on Burg Square, in the heart of Bruges, reachable on foot. The façade can be freely admired from the square; access inside, including the room with the Renaissance fireplace, is according to variable hours and conditions, to be checked before coming.

What was the Franc de Bruges?

It was an institution that administered the countryside surrounding the city; abolished in 1795, it was seated in this palace on Burg Square.

What is there to see at the Palace of the Franc de Bruges?

Notably a famous richly carved Renaissance fireplace, in this former seat of economic power, on Burg Square.