Schuttersgilde Sint-Sebastiaan (St. Sebastian’s Archers Guild)

The Guild of Saint Sebastian is an archers’ guild that has already been in existence for more than 600 years, which is unprecedented anywhere in the world. The members of this longbow guild are exclusively male, with two notable exceptions: Queen Mathilde of Belgium and the Queen of England. Ever since the exiled English king Charles II took up residence in Bruges in the 17th century, the city and the British Royal Family have always been closely associated. Within the St. Sebastian Archery Guild, Charles founded both the British Grenadier Guards and the Life Guards Regiment. The archery range is housed in a building complex dating from the 16th to the early 19th century. A visit includes the royal chamber, the chapel chamber and the garden.