Openbare Bibliotheek Brugge

The Bruges Public Library is a public library in Bruges, Belgium. Since its foundation in 1796 the Public Library of Bruges has functioned both as a public library and a special collections library. The core of the special collections consists of ca. 600 medieval manuscripts, ca. 70 incunables, and the library and archives of the poet Guido Gezelle (1830-1899). The largest portion of medieval manuscripts are the ca. 490 manuscripts from the Cistercian abbeys of Ten Duinen (°1138) and Ter Doest (°1175), which include a large set of illuminated manuscripts produced in Flanders. Another important part of the collection are the ca. 70 illuminated books of hours from, among others, Flanders, the Netherlands and France. The incunable collection includes woodcuts and engravings, e.g. in Colard Mansion's Metamorphoses and Hartmann Schedel's Liber chronicarum. The special collections include works by artists like Willem Vrelant, the Master of Guillebert de Metz, the Master of the Tall Figures (Beaufort Group), Hieronymus and Antonius Wierix, and Michael Wolgemut. Most of the books from the special collection are digitalised and can be consulted online through the library's catalogue. History The public library of Bruges manages one of the most important collections of manuscripts, incunables and historical journals in Flanders. In 2011 the library received the licence of recognized heritage library by the Flemish Community. The core of the collection stems from library of the former Cistercian abbeys of Ten Duinen (°Koksijde, 1128) and Ter Doest (°Lissewege, 1175). In 1804 the city of Bruges was entrusted with the conservation and management of the collection of both abbeys after they were confiscated by French revolutionaries under the authority of Napoleon. The extensive collection was moved to the Gothic Hall of the City Hall. The library was later relocated to the Jan Van Eyck square in 1883 due to a lack of space in the City Hall. In 1986 the library was moved to the Kuiperstraat, where it still is to this day. Public Library The public library of Bruges has twelve branches spread across the city and its neighbourhoods, with Biekorf being the main library. The different branches are located in: Bruges Zeebrugge Lissewege Dudzele Koolkerke Sint-Jozef Sint-Pieter Sint-Kruis Assebroek Sint-Andries Sint-Michiels