In Bruges, cobblestones are increasingly being stolen from the historic city center. Krant van West-Vlaanderen reported this on Thursday, and the news was confirmed by public property councilor Franky Demon (CD&V). He suspects that tourists take cobblestones with them as souvenirs. The councilor invites them to leave the stones where they are, reports Belga.
The problem is growing in well-known places in the center of the city, which is under the protection of UNESCO.
“At iconic locations such as Minnewater, Vismarkt, Markt and Gruuthusemuseum, it is estimated that 50 to 70 pieces of cobblestone disappear every month. And that number could be even higher,” says Demon.
“The phenomenon increases significantly, especially during busy tourist periods such as spring and summer,” he warned.
In addition to the loss of heritage, thefts create security problems.
“People can trip over this. It’s unfortunate that our employees constantly have to go out to fix potholes and loose stones. This causes a lot of additional work and costs: about 200 euros per square meter of reconstruction,” explains Demon.
He emphasizes the importance of respecting the historical environment of Bruges.
“We simply ask for respect. Anyone walking through Bruges crosses centuries of history. Leave that cobblestone where it belongs,”he said.
Demon notes that similar incidents occur in other cities, such as along the famous Paris-Roubaix cycling route, where tourists are also known to pocket cobblestones.
Photo: Tripadvisor
