City: The Venice of the North –
that is how the Belgian city of Bruges is often described.
As a result of the many medieval houses combined with many
little canals (many of which are referred to as 'reien’)
one could often have the feeling of being back in the middle
ages. The historic centre is very well preserved but also
combined with many valuable contemporary elements.
Every year in Bruges there is a procession of the Holy
Blood created around the relic of the "Sacred Blood".
This relic was brought to Bruges in the middle ages. According
to the web site of the Holy Blood procession the relic was
sent by Baldwin IX, Emperor of Constantinople, to his daughters
Joan and Margaret. According to the web site of the Religious
heritage of Flanders it was Theodoric of Alsace, Count of
Flanders who brought the relic in the aftermath of the second
crusade in 1150, . This relic is preserved in the Holy Blood
Church.
