Bruges, Belgium – Almost 2 000 people braved the frigid weather early on Saturday, but they didn’t get cold feet.

They all went naked in the centre of gothic Bruges in an art “happening” organized by photographer Spencer Tunick.

With temperatures closing in on freezing, winds lashing the turrets of the city and rain putting a shine on the ancient cobblestones, 1950 people shed their clothes at dawn, with many posing in a street close to the medieval Belfry or touring the canals on boats.

“It was a good feeling, everybody went naked and there was this sense of togetherness. There was no shame,” said Charlotte Logghe.

“It was extremely cold though. We were wet through and through,” she added.

In the warmer environment of the city’s theater, hundreds of naked spectators had the cameras turned on them.

Tunick has been doing such nude assemblages around the world since 1992. The artist chose Bruges to open the Corpus 05 festival, which runs through September.