The Provinciaal Hof (Province Court) is a Neogothical building on the market place in Bruges, Belgium. It is the former meeting place for the provincial government of West Flanders. Both the exterior and the interior are in the Gothic Revival style. The central meeting room has ten sculptures of royalty by Hendrik Pickery, and mural paintings of famous people from West Flanders. The rest of the building is decorated with more sculptures by Hendrik and his son Gustaaf Pickery, stained glass windows by Jules Dobbelaere, and chandeliers by Edward De Vooght. A number of paintings can be found as well, including work by Joos de Momper, Jan Van de Putte, Jan Baptist van Meunincxhove, and paintings from the Romantic era.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was this building used for? ▾
The Provinciaal Hof served as the administrative seat of the West Flanders provincial government from its completion in 1921 until the province relocated. It was built in neogothic style to harmonise with the medieval character of the Markt.
Can I go inside the Province Court? ▾
The interior is not regularly open to the general public, but parts of the ground floor are sometimes accessible during Open Monuments Day (Monumentendag) in September.
What stood here before this building? ▾
A series of earlier structures occupied the site, most notably the Waterhalle — a large covered canal hall used for unloading merchant goods directly from boats. It was demolished in 1787.
When was the Province Court built? ▾
Construction spanned 1887 to 1921. The neogothic design by architect Louis Delacenserie was chosen specifically to echo the medieval architecture surrounding the Markt.
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Province Court (Provinciaal Hof) — offline map & tips