The Sashuis Lock House

Welcome to the Sashuis Lock House, a charming Flemish-style building hidden near Minnewater park. Built in the 16th century, it once played a vital role in the city, regulating and supplying water to the centre of Bruges, as you can see from the three drainage openings at the building’s base. We all know that water is Earth’s most precious resource. Life would quickly vanish without it, and Bruges understood that well. That’s exactly why the Sashuis was built. Back in the 1500s, water wasn’t something people took for granted—you had to work hard for just a few litres. After careful planning, the city decided to build a lock house: a modest, single-storey structure with three distinct reservoirs, unlike anything else in the region. The central reservoir is marked by a wooden door, the left-hand one is made of brick, and the one on the right features a metal plate. Though the lock house has been out of service since the 1970s, it was restored around 1895 and remains full of charm today, tucked away in a quiet patch of greenery. It’s the perfect excuse for a few stunning photos of your day in Bruges.