| If you should ever visit Bruges, you'll be charmed
by the amount of swans that live on the canals .
There's a historical reason for that, a legend.
In the year 1482, after the death of Mary of Burgundy
times were rather restless in Bruges.
Maximillian of Austria summoned the people
of Bruges to pay excessive taxes.
One of his best friends and his personal councellor
was called Pieter Lanchals.
That would be"Peter Longneck" if you translate his name.
The people of Bruges were not at all happy having to pay
so many taxes, so they captured Maximillan
and held him hostage at the House of Craenenburg,
which is still one of the historical houses
at the market place in Bruges.
Through the barred window of his room,
he was forced to witness how his friends were being tortured.
Among them was his good friend Pieter Lanchals,
whose head was being chopped off
and placed on a stick outside one of the city gates.
Once Maximillian was released, he ordered the people of Bruges
to keep swans ( long neck's) on the lakes and the canals of Bruges,
not just for a decade or so, but for all eternity ... Visit the other Photo Hunt players here.
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