The Church of Our Lady in Damme and the climb up its tower

The Church of Our Lady is what you see most of Damme from the canal: a flat, massive tower over the polders. It was begun in 1220 and grew in the 13th century, when the port brought in money; after the Calvinist rebels sacked the town in 1578, it was half-restored and never recovered what it had been, which is why part of the nave is in ruins.

What you see inside

On the pillars of the nave are 13th-century wooden apostles. Above the altar hangs a cross which, according to legend, the fishermen of Damme pulled out of the sea, and which goes out every year in the Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges. The poet Jacob van Maerlant is buried here; his gravestone was lost in the 18th century and a plaque remains.

The tower

There are 206 steps to the top. From above you can understand Damme and its history: the line of the 17th-century ramparts, the Damse Vaart running straight to Bruges and the polders to the horizon. The church is free; the tower costs €3 for adults and nothing for under-16s. Both open from April to September, every day from 13:00 to 17:00.