Provincial Palace, Bruges

The Waterhalle, a 95-metre long building that served as the central point of the port of Bruges, was demolished in 1787. It was subsequently replaced by a neoclassical building on the same site.

Following the fire of the previous neoclassical structure in 1878, construction of the current neo-Gothic Provinciaal Hof began in 1887 under the direction of architects Louis Delacenserie and René Buyck.

As part of the multi-functional development of the site, a new post office was opened within the building complex in 1891.

The first section of the new Provinciaal Hof was completed and opened to the public in 1892, establishing its presence as the seat of the provincial government.

The final parts of the neo-Gothic building project, designed by architects Louis Delacenserie and René Buyck, were finished in 1920.

The Provinciaal Hof served as the official meeting place for the provincial government of West Flanders until 1999, after which its primary function shifted to a ceremonial and exhibition space.

In 2012, the Belgian Federal Government, which holds ownership of the building, considered selling the property, a move that faced strong opposition from the provincial government.