Ezelpoort (Donkey Gate)

It's a fun way to get to the city center. The Ezelstraat has many nice little shops and restaurants. You will also find a number of hostels for a low budget to stay one or more nights. On the Eiermarkt, on your left, you will find the 'Loge' of Pieter Aspe, a famous writer.

When Napoleon came to Bruges for the first time, an entire city delegation was waiting for him. He would arrive in Bruges in the afternoon on his way from Ostend. When it was evening and everyone was impatiently wondering where he was, a rider arrived with the message that they should not expect him until the next morning. The next morning people were again impatiently waiting for the great man. Once again he had the official delegation painted figuratively at this Ezelspoort. Then an official envoy came to say that he was already in the city and that he had entered the city through another gate.

The Ezelpoort is one of the four remaining Bruges city gates. The gate belongs to the second Bruges city wall from 1297. It was rebuilt in 1369 by the Bruges Jan Slabbaert and Mathias Saghen on the model of the Smedenpoort and Boeveriepoort. In the 17th century it was radically rebuilt in different phases (1615, 1632, 1677). Thorough restoration 1991-1993. A characteristic of this port is that, like the Smedenpoort, it is completely surrounded by water. Nowadays the gate is only used by pedestrians and cyclists.
Source: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezelpoort