Dampoort

About

The Dampoort was a city gate in the city of Bruges. She was part of the ancient medieval defense ring around the city. The name of the gate is still used for the place where it used to be.

The complex: The complex consisted of three different gates: the Saint Nicholas gate, also called Koolkerk's Gate, the Saint Leonard gate, also called Dudzel gate, and finally the Speiepoort. The gates each had a different utility; for example, the Speiepoort served as a coil lock to keep the complex navigable. The gates were gradually demolished, with one new gate being built in 1660 to replace the complex. This gate was named Dampoort. Around 1870 this gate was also broken down. Only one defence tower can be recognized from the entire complex in the café Du Phare. At the Dampoort the two Dampoort bridges, located on one side of the Dampoortsluis, cross the Ringvaart. This lock also begins the Damse Vaart, which was dug in 1811-1814 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. In some publications and in the official documents of De Vlaamse Waterweg the name Dammepoort is used. This wrong name form...