Cranenburg House, Medieval building on Market Square, Bruges, Belgium.
Cranenburg House stands at the corner of the Markt and Sint-Amandsstraat, a tall, narrow brick building with a steep stepped gable and rows of arched windows with stone tracery. A large ornate clock face sits near the top of the facade, and a dark green awning with white lettering runs above the ground-floor colonnade. The present neo-Gothic facade, designed by Bruges architect Maurice Vermeersch, dates from 1955–1956.
The house was owned in the 14th century by Jacob Craenenburgh and used as a grocery; from at least the late 18th century it became an inn with lodgings, and from 1930 only an eating and drinking establishment. Its original wooden facade, known from Sanderus's Flandria Illustrata, was removed in 1822, one of the last wooden facades in Bruges. A stone facade of 1822 was replaced in 1955-1956 by the neo-Gothic screen facade of architect Maurice Vermeersch; medieval cellars and roof timbers survive behind it.
The name Cranenburg comes from Jacob Craenenburgh, who owned the house in the 14th century, when it housed a grocery trade. From at least the late 18th century the grocery became an inn with lodgings, and since 1930 it has been only an eating and drinking establishment. Margaret of York is said to have watched the jousts of the Tournament of the Golden Tree from here in 1468.
The building sits at the center of Market Square and is very easy to find when walking through the old town. Since it functions as a working cafe today, visitors can step inside to see the interior while enjoying a drink or snack.
The medieval cellars and roof truss survive behind the successive facades, including the 1955-56 neo-Gothic screen wall by architect Maurice Vermeersch. The original wooden facade, one of Bruges' last, was removed in 1822 and is known from Sanderus's Flandria Illustrata drawing.
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