- Address: Gruuthusestraat 4, Brugge, Belgium
- Phone: +32 50 44 87 43
- Opening hours: from 09:30 to 17:00, break from 12:30 to 13:30
- Ticket price: 4 euros
About the Belgian city of Bruges say that it has more museums than houses. One of them is dedicated to the favorite poet of the Flemish people and is called the Guido Geselle Museum (in Dutch, Bruggemuseum-Gezelle).
The building is located on the street of the same name in a small beautiful house made of red brick. On May 1, in 1830, Guido Gezelle was born and spent his childhood. His parents were simple workers: mother - a peasant, and father - a city gardener. It was the first Flemish poet, since before him poetry in this language did not exist.
Who is the poet Guido Geselle?
Guido Gezelle owned fifteen languages and at one time was considered one of the best connoisseurs of ancient Germanic texts. He worked as a Catholic priest, for a long time was deputy director of the theological seminary, and then he was promoted and appointed director. The poet was also a folklorist, lyricist, philologist, was a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Literature and Language.
When in 1880 a new, so-called De Nieuwe Gids movement arose in the Netherlands, and Van Nu en Straks acted in Flanders in 1893, then only Guido Gezelle was recognized as an innovator and literary leader. His poems immediately became popular and had a strong influence on the development of West-Flemish literature. Another merit of the poet is the school he founded for the Flemish poets. Since Geselle contributed a lot to the history of the development of this region, his house in Bruges was turned into a museum dedicated to the life and work of the poet. Here, all documents and books were collected, allowing visitors to follow the creativity and life of the author's favorite people.
Description of the museum Guido Geselle
In the Guido Geselle Museum in Belgium there are several furnished rooms, with a precisely restored setting of the poet's times, in which the lyricist worked and lived. Also here is a collection of manuscripts. In addition, an exhibition is held in the room telling the guests about the art of the printed word.
On the square in front of the museum building was a monument, which depicts a poet at a young age. It was established posthumously and, to date, it is considered quite popular among connoisseurs of art and history. The creation of the figure was done by the Belgian talented sculptor Jules LeGae who, in 1888, received the Rome Prize. The statue was made of bronze. It was installed on a small monument, on which gilded letters were engraved with the full name of the lyrics below. In 1930, the official opening of the monument, and in 2004 the name of Guido Gezelle was named the square on which stands the majestic sculpture.
How to get to the museum?
To get to the museum you can by public transport , a rented car or taxi to the street Gruuthusestraat 4. The price of admission ticket for adults and children is the same and is four euros.
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