Citytripping in Bruges again (part 1)

The last Friday of January was a school-free day so I had planned long beforehand to take a long weekend with the family nearby. We had booked 2 nights in Bruges and would combine the time to visit Jan's sister in Oostende.

Jan only returned on Friday noon from Amsterdam and had some unexpected more meeting calls to attend  so we only ended up in Bruges on Friday evening...in time to check in at ease, chill in the room and head downtown for a nice dinner. 

The next morning we prepared for a walk through town on our way to the Folk Life museum.   We took a walk along the old ramparts and city gates, which is now a nice green open space. 

We walked into the city via the Coupure , which is a part of the city that is rather unknown to me. 

When we approached our targetted museum, we noticed a chapel that looked interesting.  It turned out to be part of the Adornes Domain, a privately owned patriciars' domain, now in the property of the 14th generation of Belgian nobility.  With our freshly purchased Belgian Museumpass, we got in so we checked it out and it was a revelation to us. 

The complex houses a few buildings and a garden and of course the Jerusalem chapel which is the eye taker.   First we went in the tiny museum building to learn in a movie about the most famous founding father of the Adornes dynasty: Anselm Adornes   , a former mayor of Bruges, tradesman, diplomate (and friend of the Scottisch king James III) etc... His influence and trade has been important for the richness of Bruges in this period and is visible in this city palace. 

The private Jerusalem chapel witnesses the deep faith of this nobility family : Anselm Adornes and his son had taken a 2 year pelgrimage to the Sinaï and Jerusalem.  The chapel has its own impression of the cave where Jesus had been buried, supposedly a relic piece of the wooden cross of Golgotha  and the family's mausuleum graves. 

There's also a cosy Scottisch salon where you can enjoy biscuits and drinks. 

We continued our trip to the Folk Life Museum in the same pitoresque street, but that was closed for unexpected circumstances.  ... We went to the Lace museum across the street instead. 

The latter took less of the children's interest so we didn't spend too much time here.  Then it was time to go and search a bistro for a well deserved lunch.