Minnewater Bridge - Bruges

The popular legend tells that whoever walks across the Minnewater Bridge with his beloved will know eternal love together.

The legend goes like this:

At the time when the Romans had begun their conquest of Gaul, an old sailor had said goodbye to the sea and lived with his beautiful daughter Minna on the banks of the Reie, then called Roya, surrounded by forests and marshes. Feeling that he didn't have very long to live, he worried about his daughter's future. Therefore, the old fisherman wanted her to get married as soon as possible. He already had a future husband in mind for Minna. His choice fell on Horneck, a young fisherman from the settlement who occasionally visited.

Minna, however, had fallen in love with Stromberg, a young farmer from a neighboring tribe. She kept this from her father, because she knew he didn't hold the neighboring tribe very dear. To avoid disagreements, she kept postponing a final decision.

When the Romans invaded the land, the warriors of all tribes went to battle. So did Stromberg, who had obtained the promise of her love and loyalty from Minna before his departure.

The old fisherman saw his chance to break Minna's stubborn will and decided that at the third sunrise her marriage to Horneck would be consummated. Minna was distraught, torn between her promise to Stromberg and her father's will. She wept her eyes red for two nights and by the third morning she had disappeared without a trace. She wandered despondently along the banks of the Roya until finally she fell exhausted.

Some time later, the war with the Romans was over and Stromberg returned. Hearing that Minna had disappeared, he began an arduous search. Finally he found her, hidden in the thick undergrowth, on the banks of the Roya. However, it was to no avail. Minna was exhausted from the long wandering and she died in the arms of her beloved. At first Stromberg wanted to take his own life, but he decided to venerate the place where Minna had died forever. After building a hut, he made a dam in the stream and in the middle of the dry bed made a grave in which he laid Minna to rest forever. Then he let the water run its course again. On the bank where he had found Minna, he placed a heavy boulder on which, as a memorial to Minna, he chiseled “MINNA WATER” .

Where the stone once stood, the Poertoren now stands at the Minnewater, and where the dam once stood, the Minnewaterbrug is now located. All the couples in love want to take a selfie together and throw a coin on Minna's grave. The Bruges Romeo and Juliet are called Minna and Stromberg...

FYI: the name 'poertoren' comes from the word 'poer' which is West Flemish for powder, gunpowder; because gunpowder was stored in it.

Willem Vandenameele