Property: The Historic Centre of Brugge
Id. N°: 996
State Party: Belgium
Criteria: C (ii) (iv) (vi)
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iv), and (vi):
Criterion (ii): The Historic Town of Brugge is testimony, over a long period, of a considerable exchange of influences on the development of architecture, particularly in brick Gothic, as well as favouring innovative artistic influences in the development of medieval painting, being the birthplace of the school of the Flemish Primitives.
Criterion (iv): The Historic Town of Brugge is an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble, illustrating significant stages in the commercial and cultural fields in medieval Europe, of which the public, social, and religious institutions are a living testimony.
Criterion (vi): The Town of Brugge was birthplace of the Flemish Primitives and a centre of patronage and development of painting in the Middle Ages with artists such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling.
The Delegates of Thailand and Mexico questioned the application of criterion (vi) for this site. ICOMOS justified the criteria on the basis that the city had sponsored the development of Flemish primitive art and was home to artists. The Delegate of Thailand expressed his reservation on the use of criterion (vi).