The Minnewater (Lake of Love) and its lovely park is one of
the first things you see in the city of Bruges, when arriving by
train or coach. The
lake and surrounding park offer an excellent retreat from the
hustle and bustle of the city`s sights and streets. The many
resident swan couples form the finishing touch to it`s romantic
character.
The coastal river Reie entered the city here. The river was
canalized and made to continue to the center of town. There are
several explanations as where the name Minnewater comes from. It
could be water van het gemeen, which can be translated as
the 'common water'. The lake was used as a water reservoir.
The lake is also called lake of love (minne means love), imagine
the stories for that name.
One of the
symbols of Bruges is the swan. There are always plenty to be found
on the Minnewater. The legend about the swans of Bruges: In 1488
the people of Bruges had executed one of the town administrators
belonging to the court of Maximilian of Austria. The town
administrator ,Pieter Lanchals, family coat of arms featured a
white swan. Legend has it that Maximilian punished Bruges by
obliging the population to keep swans on their lakes and canals
till eternity.
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