Flanders is the only part of the Lowlands to have never been part of the Holy Roman Empire. Indeed, today it is also the only part of West Francia to never have reunited with France. This independence allowed the region’s cities to experiment and develop without the constraints of feudalism. In the Middle Ages, the cities of Bruges and Ghent were global centers of trade, and today this legacy is evident in the spectacular cityscapes of the region.
Flanders ranks among Europe’s premier destinations for beautiful old towns and spectacular cityscapes. It combines a strong local identity with the desire and money to preserve some of Europe’s most extraordinary historical heritage. It also helps that Flanders has a rich cultural identity formed around its language, traditions, and food that offer a truly immersive travel experience.
The region’s borders are among Europe’s most ancient, bounded by the bank of the Scheldt River and the North Sea. This river would have once formed the historical boundary between the Carolingian West- and Middle Francia. Flanders is thus a historical region of France, a fact not lost on the French Monarchs who sought to reclaim the territory for centuries. However, France only successfully reunited with Artois and some Southern parts of Flanders.
Flanders was gifted with a long tradition of craftsmanship and fabric weaving. As demand for cloth grew during the high middle ages, Flanders became a magnet for bankers, artisans, and weavers in the cloth industry. As these were all urban professions, Flanders saw massive growth in the cities, which expanded their power at the expense of the nobility and the church.
The great cities of Flanders were Northern European economic powerhouses and centers of trade and innovation. Effectively free from direct rule by either the French King or the German Emperor. The symbols of civic pride and power became a dominant motif in local architecture. In particular, Belfrys and Towers, especially in the Gothic Style, would remain potent symbols of local autonomy through the 19th century. Some cities, such as Tournai, would experiment with the Gothic in ways that were truly revolutionary, contributing to the development of standard archetypes for the region and for Europe.
