Ghent is a city in Belgium and the capital of the province of
East Flanders in the region of Flanders. People from all over the
world come to Ghent for its city center, the Gentse Feesten (also
the many beers) or just for fun. Many people think Ghent is the most
pleasant city in Flanders. The traffic-free historic center makes
walking in the city center very pleasant and unforgettable.
The least that can be said of Ghent is that it is an authentic city.
It is also a compact city. Ghent is divided into two quarters and
each quarter has a number of important sites.
Historic Center
: Gravensteen site, Vrijdagmarkt site, Portus Ganda site, Graslei
site, Torens site and finally the Kouter site.
Arts Quarter :
Bijloke site, Sint Pietersplein site, South site and Citadel Park
site.
Everywhere in Ghent arrows point to the various sights,
sites and bus stops. Getting lost in Ghent is therefore unlikely.
The medieval and other historic buildings have largely been
preserved, and several prominent points in the city center are famous
for their ensemble.
The inner city is usually called "De Kuip"
(tub). The settlement was originally founded on these low-lying islands
with many wooden bridges. The abbeys and the castle, on the other hand,
were on the much higher hills all around.
"De drie torens" ("The
Three Towers") is probably the most famous view of Ghent. This refers to
the towers of the Sint Niklaaskerk (70 m high) and the Sint Baaf
Cathedral (89 m) as well as the belfry (95 m) in between. Of course
there are more than these three towers, but they have formed the city
silhouette since the Middle Ages and they can be viewed and photographed
very well from various points, e.g. B. from the Sint-Michielsbrug, from
the Gravensteen castle, the Boekentoren and along the streets
Cataloniëstraat and Limburgstraat.
churches and monasteries
In
the four big churches in the city center there are "vrijwilligers van
'Open Kerken'" (Open Church Volunteers) who are available for questions
or help. Open kerken is a network for "open and welcoming churches"
practiced throughout Belgium with special Open Church Days and Church
Routes. The churches in Ghent go beyond that and are usually open every
day.
There are a total of 24 Catholic churches in the Deanery of
Ghent. Other Christian churches are the Evangelical Rabot Church
(Begijnhoflaan 31) and Church of Brabantdam (Sint-Kristoffelstraat 1),
the Orthodox Church of Saint Andrew (Sophie Van Akenstraat 56) and the
Anglican Church of St. John (Theresianenstraat). All are relatively
close to each other at the so-called "Holy Corner" near the Old
Beguinage.
Sint-Baafskathedraal (St Bavo's Cathedral), 9000 Ghent,
Hoofdkerkstraat 1, Sint-Baafsplein 1A (Kerkfabriek van de kathedraal).
Tel.: +32 (0)92251626, e-mail: sint-baafskathedraal@kerknet.be Open:
daily, in summer (April to October) Mon-Sat 8.30am-5pm, Sundays from 1pm
(Visitors Sun only from 1 p.m.), in winter it closes an hour earlier.
Closed on January 1st. Price: 4€.Edit info
The cathedral is based on
a 9th-century chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. A Romanesque
stone church was built on it in the 12th century, which was replaced in
3 sections with today's church building, but old parts can still be
found in the crypt. In the 14th century the chancel was renewed, here
you can see typical Scheldt Gothic. The gallery of the choir and the
chapels were rebuilt in the 15th century. In the 2nd phase (1462 to
1538) the 89 meter high west tower was built, now in the Brabant Gothic
style. In 1533, the third phase began with the construction of the new
nave, and by the middle of the 16th century the church had largely
achieved its current appearance. In 1559 the bishopric of Ghent was
founded and the church was elevated to its cathedral. Saint Bavo lived
in Belgium in the 7th century, he is also the patron saint of Haarlem
churches and falconers.
Worship Services: Holy Mass is held every day
at 11am, on weekdays in the crypt. Sundays in winter in the Romanesque
part of the crypt, in summer in front of the main altar. On Mondays and
Fridays at 8:45 am Holy Masses are held for the Chapters. Every day at
12:00 noon the Angelus bell rings, followed by the Angelus prayer.
Tower: the tower with its 444 steps can only be climbed during the Ghent
Festival in July.
The cathedral houses a large number of treasures,
including 22 alone! altars. A few examples: the high altar (1702-1782)
is made of white, black and flamed red marble, the rococo pulpit
(1741-1745) is made of oak, gilded wood and marble by Laurent Delvaux.
'The Conversion/Homecoming of St. Bavo' (1623-1624) by Peter Paul
Rubens.Crucifixion triptych (15th c.) attributed to Joos van Wassenhove,
aka Justus van Gent. Works by Frans Pourbus the Younger and Gaspar de
Crayer and the tombs of the bishops.
The outstanding work of art is
"The Adoration of the Lamb of God" by (Hubert?) and Jan van Eyck from
1432.
Het Lam Gods Open: In summer (April to October) Mon-Sat
9.30am-5pm and Sun only from 1pm, in winter Mon-Sat 10.30am-4pm and Sun
from 1pm: 12:00 a.m. Price: Admission: adults (incl. audio guide also in
German) €4, children (7-12 years) €1.50, children <7 years. free.
There is a comprehensive article on the painting and its history on
Wikipedia. It is regarded as the high point of Old Netherlandish
painting ("Flemish Primitives") and has been through a lot over the
centuries: iconoclasm, involuntary changes of ownership to Napoleon or
Nazi Germany. It has been hanging in St. Bavo's Cathedral for 50 years,
and since autumn 2012 it has been renovated piece by piece at a total
cost of 1.4 million euros. Completion is planned for 2017 parts
currently undergoing restoration are then replaced with black and white
copies. The work on the parts of the painting takes place in the Museum
of Fine Arts and can also be viewed there. There is also an explanatory
exhibition at the Provinciaal Cultuurcentrum Caermersklooster.
Sint Niklaaskerk (Sint-Niklaaskerk, St. Nicholas Church), 9000 Gent,
Korenmarkt 14 (entrance on Cataloniëstraat) Open: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, Mon
2pm-5pm. Price: Free access except during church services.
The
church, built from Tournaisis bluestone in the Scheldt Gothic style, has
a so-called lantern tower as a special feature. It is not on the outside
of the church but above the central part, at the intersection of the
nave and side aisles, thus providing light in this area.
The first
church on this site was destroyed by fire in 1120. The subsequent
Romanesque stone church was initially replaced by an early Gothic church
in the 13th century. In the centuries that followed, further extensions
and conversions took place in the Scheldt Gothic style, the wreath
chapels were added, and the nave and choir were expanded. With the
location at the former center of Korenmarkt and Hafen Graslei/Korenlei,
the church was always a building for wealthy merchants and guilds, who
had their own chapels built in the church and donated generously for the
works of art. The ambulatory with five street chapels was added around
1430, the side walls between the columns were removed and the interior
itself was designed by the guilds.
From the beginning there were
problems with the stability, partly due to the swampy subsoil, but also
partly due to improper construction. In the 16th century, the church was
severely affected by iconoclasm, in 1673 the slender spire was badly
damaged in a storm and had to be replaced by today's blunt hat. Over the
years, cracks in the wall have been hidden under plaster and windows
have been bricked up to stabilize them. At that time there were also
houses directly on the outer wall (see photo), which were rented to
guests. As early as 1912/13 and 1939-43 there were first attempts at
renovation (with the demolition of the holiday homes), from 1960 the
church was closed and fundamental work was carried out. In 1992 the
chancel with the wreath chapels, the transept and the tower were
reopened, and in 2010 the nave. The southern aisle (on Cataloniëstraat)
and the organ are currently being renovated, and the work should be
completed in 2018.
Worship services: The Holy Mass takes place Mon -
Fri at 8:00 a.m., Sun at 10:00 a.m. Every day at 12:15 p.m. there is a
half-hour midday prayer, the content of which is based on the liturgical
yearly calendar.
Sint Michielskerk (Sint-Michielskerk, St.
Michael's Church), 9000 Ghent, Sint-Michielsplein (directly at the St.
Michielsbrug). Tel.: +32 92342869 Open: April to October daily 2pm-5pm.
The Gothic St. Michael's Church was founded in 1440, but construction
took a long time. By the beginning of the 16th century, the three-aisled
nave and the transept (completed in 1530) and the bell tower up to the
2nd floor were created. Its construction was interrupted by the
iconoclasm of 1566, and the church was even plundered and damaged in
1579. Originally it was planned to build a 134m high tower similar to
Antwerp Cathedral. In the end, however, the 2 floors stayed, also for
financial reasons - that's why the tower looks a bit cut off. In the
middle of the 17th century the damage to the choir and chapel wreath
were repaired, in 1908/09 the old sacristy was dismantled in favor of
the new Michielsbrug and replaced by a new building in the neo-baroque
style.
The interior is striking for the contrast of the limestone
(columns, arches, ribs) with the red bricks (walls and ceilings). The
network and star vaults are characteristic of late Gothic. Several
stylistic epochs are represented in the interior of the church: the
altar and pulpit are neo-Gothic, confessionals are in the style of
baroque, rococo and neoclassicism. Several statues and paintings are
also from the Baroque period. Many paintings are remarkable, including
the "Dying Christ" by Anthonis van Dyck.
There are regular cultural
events in the church, the current program can be found on cultur in
kerken.
Worship Services: A simple Holy Mass is held on Saturdays at
5:30pm. A festive Holy Mass is held on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Sint
Jakobskerk (Sint-Jacobskerk, St. Jakobkirche), 9000 Gent, Bij
Sint-Jacobs, Bij Sint-Jacobs (close to the Vrijdagmarkt). Tel.: +32
(0)92232526 Open: From April to October 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Traditionally, the church is called Sint-Jacobs-in-der Meersch, which is
due to the damp ground on which it was founded. The two Romanesque
towers on the west side are a striking feature of the church. The
octagonal crossing tower from the 13th century is in Scheldt Gothic
style. After the iconoclasm, from which this church also suffered
severely, restorations in the Baroque style were carried out. The church
is dedicated to Saint James, after whom the pilgrimage route is named.
Even today, parishioners conduct pilgrimages on the Way of St. James.
Worship Services: Fridays at 9:00 a.m. prayer. Holy Mass on Sundays at
10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Every first Sunday of the month (except
July/August) there is a family service with music and singing, starting
at 5:45 p.m.
Sint Anna (Sint-Annakerk, St. Anna), 9000 Gent,
Sint-Annaplein, Sint-Annaplein 1. Tel.: +32 (0)92238009 is located in
the city center and, together with the surrounding district, is a listed
building. It was designed by Louis Roelandt in 1851 and built in a
simplified form by Jacques Van Hoecke in 1853-66. However, the church
was never finished with Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic elements and
monumental wall paintings inside, the tower on the west side is still
missing today.
Sint-Martinuskerk (St. Martin), 9000 Ghent,
Ekkergemstraat 203. Tel.: +32 (0)92252461. probably the oldest church in
the city, first mentioned in 941. Today's Gothic hall church with a
transept dates from the 16th century. rebuilt. A painting of the
Resurrection by Gaspar de Crayer hangs above the altar, and there are
four other paintings by the same painter in the church. The leaning
spire has always led to curious legends, e.g. it is reported that the
architect planned to commit suicide by jumping from the tower.
Presumably, however, not yet dry beams were used for the repair of the
tower, which then warped in this direction with the prevailing westerly
winds. Others tell of a big storm with lightning strikes.
Caermersklooster (Provinciaal Cultuurcentrum Caermersklooster), 9000
Gent, Vrouwebroersstraat 6 (in the Patershol district). Tel.: +32
(0)92692910, e-mail: caermersklooster@oost-vlaanderen.be is probably the
oldest church in the city area, first mentioned in 941. The current
Gothic hall church with a transept dates from the 16th century, she had
suffered badly in the iconoclasm and was destroyed in the 17th century.
rebuilt. A painting of the Resurrection by Gaspar de Crayer hangs above
the altar, and there are four other paintings by the same painter in the
church. The leaning spire has always led to curious legends, e.g. it is
reported that the architect planned to commit suicide by jumping from
the tower. Presumably, however, not yet dry beams were used for the
repair of the tower, which then warped in this direction with the
prevailing westerly winds. Others tell of a big storm with lightning
strikes. Open: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Price: Free entry, for the Ghent
Altarpiece (Lamb of God) exhibition €2 entry.
The Carmelites came to
Ghent as early as 1286, their first building, now known as the "Oud
Huis", was in the Lange Steenstraat. In the following centuries, the
monks built a complex with a church, apartments, sacristy, guest house,
infirmary and brewery. Due to the special construction, the sick could
observe the service in the chapel from the infirmary. Later, a canteen
and library were added, as well as a corridor with private chapels
belonging to wealthy citizens (the coats of arms of the Ghent families
are still visible there). The monastery was plundered during the
iconoclasm and dissolved during the French Revolution. In 1881 the city
of Ghent bought the monastery and used it as a museum or storage space
for the opera. In 1998 the current cultural center was opened. Some
renovation work is still taking place inside the monastery building.
The exhibition on the Ghent Age "The Adoration of the Lamb of God" is
currently important; it concerns both painting techniques and symbolism.
It is supplemented by a replica of the altar and a film about the work
of the restorers.
Klooster Paters Karmelieten, 9000 Ghent,
Burgstraat 46. Tel.: +32 (0)92255787, e-mail: info@karmel-gent.be. The
Carmelites are still a vibrant community in Ghent, the 18th-century
monastery church of St. Stephen is freely accessible, the associated
monastery garden can be visited on request. The Holy Mass can also be
attended: Mon-Fri at 7:30 a.m. and at 6:15 p.m., Sat at 5:00 p.m. and
Sun at 10:00 a.m. Open: The monastery church: Mon-Fri 7am-11:30am and
2:30pm-7pm, Sat/Sun only until 6pm, Sun only from 9am.
Klooster
Paters Augustijnen (Augustine Monastery), 9000 Ghent, Academiestraat 1.
Tel.: +32 (0)92642980. Open: Daily 07:00-11:45 and 14:00-17:45.
Sint-Pietersabdij (former Saint Peter's Abbey, today Historical Huizen
Ghent), 9000 Ghent, Sint-Pietersplein 9. Tel.: +32 (0)92439730, fax: +32
(0)92439734, e-mail: sintpietersabdij@gent.be .
Sint-Baafsabdij (Saint
Bavo's Abbey), 9000 Ghent, Voorhoutkaai 43. The abbey church has been
restored, but as a park and with trees instead of the church walls.
Open: Fri/Sat/Sun 2pm-6pm.
Beguines were women who lived in an order-like, Christian lay
community in a demarcated district. They donated a large part of their
fortune to the community or worked with their hands for the upkeep. In
contrast to nuns, however, they did not take vows and could also marry
(and thus leave). The beginning movement began in the 12th/13th year in
the Netherlands and spread to Germany and France, in Flanders it was
largely spared persecution. There are still three beguinages in Ghent,
two of which have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage "Flemish
Beguinages". The residential areas are a freely accessible urban area,
partly as a pedestrian zone.
Groot Begijnhof Sint-Elisabeth (Old
Beguinage), 9000 Gent, Begijnhofdries. Email:
info@elisabethbegijnhof.be
The Beguinage is named after Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia.
Cistercians were at the beginning of the 13th century. moved from St.
Michael's Church to a new monastery with infirmary, they were supported
in their work by lay sisters. In 1234, Margaret of Constantinople
donated the beguinage as a dwelling place in a swamp area for these
helpers. The area was separated from the rest of the city by natural
watercourses, recognizable e.g. B. still on street names like
Beginengracht. With the church of St. Elizabeth, the house of the great
lady (superintendent), its own infirmary with a chapel, a large
bleaching meadow and an orchard, 18 monasteries and 103 houses, the area
grew rapidly.
The French Revolution (with the transfer of church
property to the city), the changed political situation in Ghent, the
need for housing for the textile workers in the city center (due to
industrialisation) and the idea of expanding the city beyond the walls -
this made a move of beginning to the outside possible and necessary. In
1874, after a record-breaking construction time, the new, large
beguinage on the Sint-Amandsberg was finished, and around 600 residents
moved.
Today the area is a normal part of the city, in which entire
streets still consist of the small beguinages, only the boundary walls
have disappeared. After the houses were little maintained at first, a
private initiative was founded and the city took over the renovation
work. Expressionist painters and sculptors, such as Constant Permeke and
Frits Van den Berghe, who are well-known not only in Belgium,
temporarily lived in the district and helped it regain a better
reputation.
The area around the Old Beguinage is also called "Holy
Corner" because several churches of different conventions have settled
here:
Sint Elisabeth (Roman Catholic St. Elisabeth Church of the
Beguinage), 9000 Ghent, Sint-Elisabethplein 1. Tel: +32 (0)92254031,
Fax: +32 (0)92244083, Email: tiw789@yahoo.com. Liturgies on Tue/Wed/Thu
at 8:00 a.m., Sun at 11:30 a.m.
Church of Saint Andrew (Orthodox
community), 9000 Ghent, Sophie Van Aken street 56.
Rabot Church
(Protestant), 9000 Ghent, Begijnhoflaan 31. Tel.: +32 (0)92234024.
Worship Sunday 10:00 a.m.
Brabantdam Church (Protestant), 9000 Gent,
Sint-Kristoffelstraat 1.
Church of St. John (Anglican), 9000 Ghent,
Theresianenstraat 9. Tel.: +32 (0)92237691, fax: +32 (0)93307691,
e-mail: peter.tilley@telenet.be. Holy Communion every Sunday at 11am in
English.
Begijnhof (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw) Ter Hoyen (Begijnhof
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Ter Hoyen, Small Beguinage), Lange Violettestraat
77-273 (the car park is south at the intersection with
Viifwindgaatenstraat). Tel: +32 (0)92241790
The Small Beguinage was
also founded in 1234 by Johanna and Margareta of Constantinople, the
walls were erected in 1281 and around 1300 the community acquired the
right to its own services, which included e.g. were held in the small
chapel "Our Lady" from 1262.
From 1600 onwards, the wooden houses
were systematically replaced with stone buildings. In 1638 the
Sint-Godelievekapel was built, which quickly became a place of
pilgrimage to worship Saint Godeleva. In the 17th century, the old
chapel was expanded into today's church "Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Presentatie"
(consecrated 1658, baroque facade from 1720), the house of the Great
Lady (head of the beguines) and the infirmary (house no. 237) added.
There were seven convents (e.g. the Begga convent in No. 239) and about
100 houses on the site, with a maximum of 300 beguines living there.
Most of the red brick cottages have a small courtyard closed off with a
white wall facing the Achterstraat. To the east, the area is delimited
by the Niederschelde, where a watchtower of the former city wall can be
found behind the undergrowth. After extensive renovations, the
apartments are leased out on the basis of a leasehold model, and there
are artists' studios in the convents.
In 1998 the Small Beguinage was
included in the World Heritage List.
Groot Begijnhof
Sint-Elisabeth at Sint-Amandsberg (Begijnhof Sint-Elisabeth, Big
Beguinage), 9040 Sint-Amandsberg (Gent), Groot Begijnhof 67, Groot
Begijnhof 67 (no parking in the Beguinage!). Tel.: +32 (0)92282308,
email: info@grootbegijnhof.be
The Great Beguinage in St.
Amandsberg (a little to the east of the city) is more recent. It was
inaugurated in 1834 after only two years of construction and was
occupied by the beguinage of the old St. Elisabeth Court, which had to
make way for the city's expansion. It is the only neo-Gothic beguinage,
was listed as a monument in 1994 and included in the World Heritage List
in 1998.
On 8 hectares there are 80 houses, 14 convents, the Master's
House (Groothuis No. 67), an infirmary with the chapel of St. Anthony of
Padua and the church. The whole area is walled and has two entrances.
Inside, the streets are paved and may only be driven on at 10 km/h,
parking spaces are only available for residents and deliverers.
All
houses and convents have a front garden behind a low wall, and the gates
to the property are decorated with images of saints or small statues. In
contrast to the old beginenhof, the houses are much larger and were
already equipped with more comfort.
The neo-Gothic Beguinage Church
is dedicated to Saint Elizabeth, Saint Michael and the Holy Angels. The
meadows around the church were used to bleach laundry.
Belfry/ Belfort, 9000 Ghent, Sint-Baafsplein, Sint-Baafsplein. Tel.:
+32 (0)92333954, email: info@belfortgent.be . The entrance to the tower
is in the Cloth Hall. Open: Daily 10am-6pm except Christmas and New
Year. Price: Admission price: adults €5, <26 y. and>55y. €3.75, <19 y.
free, every day at 3:30 p.m. there is a public guided tour (NL, EN) for
€3.
The 95m high belfry in the center of Ghent, together with the
neighboring towers of St. Bavo's Cathedral and St. Nicholas' Church, is
part of the famous cityscape "The Three Towers of Ghent". Its
construction began around 1300, by 1323 four construction phases had
already been completed, and in 1380 a first wooden roof was put on on
which the legendary "Dragon of Ghent" is enthroned. The top of the roof
was changed several times, in 1852 a neo-Gothic cast-iron top (with
construction defects) was added, which was replaced by a top based on
the medieval version at the 1913 World Exhibition.
The tower was
a proud expression of the self-confident urban bourgeois tower, it also
contained the ark with the important privileges (documents) of the city.
This was secured several times with locks, the keys of which were in the
possession of various guilds, the bailiff and the chief judges. The
chest can still be visited today. The tower also served as a fortress
and fire tower and announced important military victories with the
"Klokke Roeland" (Roland's bell). It had already been temporarily hung
in the half-finished tower in 1325, and from 1378 it also served as the
hour bell. There is now a carillon on the tower that strikes every
quarter of an hour.
The construction of the neighboring Cloth
Hall ("Lakenhalle") began in 1425, but only seven of the planned eleven
gables were initially realized (the rest were added in 1903).
The
hall was used as a marketplace for the wealth-creating cloth trade.
On the upper floor, the city regiment of the main guild of St. Michael
("Koninklijke en Ridderlijke Hoofdgilde van Sint-Michiel") trained as in
a gym and also had their guild hall there. In Sep./Oct. In 2013, the
guild celebrated its 400th anniversary with a fencing gala, an open-air
tournament and an exhibition.
Between 1742 and 1902 the city prison
was located in the basement of the Cloth Hall.
The Cloth Hall is
preceded by a small building that used to be a guard room, with the
Mammelokker from 1741 in the gable. Literally translated, this means
breast sucker (from "mamme" = breast and "lokken" = suck) and describes
the image of a prisoner condemned to starvation who is being breastfed
by his daughter who works as a wet nurse. It thus refers to the old
legend of "Roman charity".
Since 1936, the belfry and the
neighboring cloth hall have been protected monuments, and since 1999
they have been part of the "Belfry of Flanders and Wallonia" World
Heritage Site.
Gravensteen, Sint-Veerleplein 11 Gatehouse, ramparts, keep, Count's
residence and stables are open to visitors. Open: In summer
(April-October) daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., in winter also daily
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Price: Admission for adults €8, >55 years.
€6, <26y. 4€ (each incl. movie guide), <19y. free, movie guide extra 3€.
edit info
The castle is slightly elevated north-west of the city
center (and former city area). It is the oldest castle in Flanders, one
of the largest moated castles in Europe and very impressive to look at.
Today's castle was built between 1180 and 1200 by the then Count of
Flanders Philip of Alsace on the remains of a Viking castle. Their hall
construction was taken over as a cellar and the area was heaped up all
around like a moth. Philipp built the Gravensteen as a control
instrument for the citizens of Ghent, who had erected defensive towers
in the city themselves. A ring moat and a residential tower also
belonged to the castle complex. It was also used as a court of law, and
later the Ghent City Council also met here.
From the 13th/14th
The circular wall with 24 protruding, two-story towers around the castle
courtyard dates back to the 19th century. In addition to the residential
tower, there were other count's buildings and all of the utility rooms
within the protective wall. In the 14th century, however, the Counts of
Flanders moved from the castle to the Prince's Court in the city, but
large receptions continued to be held in the castle.
In 1780 the
castle was sold and used as a textile factory. Workers lived in the
outbuildings, and the director lived in the gatehouse.
late 19th
century should the castle be demolished, the city bought it back and
secured it provisionally from decay. From 1980 it was completely
restored and can be visited today. There are two smaller exhibitions on
weapons and instruments of torture (Court Museum). The tour of the
battlement offers wonderful views (and photo opportunities) over the
city, but is not secured by railings - so please be careful with
children. Inside there are many narrow spiral staircases.
More
buildings
Old City Hall Stadhuis
Geeraard de Duivelsteen castle
complex
Groot Vleeshuis (Great Meat Hall)
Metselaarshuis,
Stonemasons' Guild Hall
Episcopal Palace Episcopal Palace
Ghent museums are typically open on Mondays, on Christmas 24/25 Dec.
and at the turn of the year December 31st/January 1st. closed, if this
is handled differently it is indicated in the entry. The city of Ghent
has published a brochure (NL) on its own museums, which is also
available locally in several languages.
Het Huis van Alijn (Huis
van Alijn, The House of Alijn), 9000 Ghent, Kraanlei 65, Kraanlei 65
Ghent. Tel.: +32 (0)92692350, fax: (0)92692358, email:
info@huisvanalijn.be . Open: Museum and café: Tue-Sat 11 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m., museum shop 1/2 hour later. Price: Entrance fee:
Adults €5, 19-26 years. 1 €, under 19 years. free.
Museum about the
everyday and sometimes strange life, tells great stories about the small
things, customs and customs, offers digitized photo albums and sound
recordings to browse for hours, with a beautiful cafe in the quiet inner
garden.
Design museum Gent (Museum voor Sierkunst en Vormgeving),
9000 Gent, Jan Breydelstraat 5, Jan Breydelstraat 5. Tel.: +32
(0)92679999, Fax: +32 (0)92244522, Email: museum.design@ gent.be . Open:
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Price: Entrance fees: adults €5, <26 y. 1 €, <19 y.
free, with unusual exhibitions sometimes special prices.
Collections: furniture from the 17th/18th Century, Art Nouveau and Art
Deco collection, important Belgian designers from the 1970s and 1980s.
Again and again exhibitions on certain topics (e.g. Coca Cola) or
designers (2013: Peter Behrens, Shiro Kuramata), exhibition rooms are
partly old buildings and a hotel, where complete rooms are presented,
partly also completely new buildings in modern (construction )Design.
The oversized vase by the Italian designer Andrea Branzi in the inner
courtyard is a striking feature.
museum dr Guislain, 9000 Gent, Jozef
Guislainstraat 43, Jozef Guislainstraat 43 (Northwest of the city
center, on the corner of R40/N9, accessible from Hbf or Korenmarkt by
tram line 1 towards "Evergem"). Tel.: +32 (0)92163595, Fax: +32
(0)92163535, Email: info@museumdrguislain.be Open: Tue-Fri 9am-5pm,
Sat/Sun 1pm-5pm :00 am. Price: Admission price for adults €6, <26 years.
1€, <12y. free.
Joseph Guislain was a Belgian psychiatrist who
reformed the hospital system and legislation (away from the penitentiary
and towards a modern understanding of mental illness). In the old
psychiatric hospital there is a permanent exhibition on the history of
psychiatry, fascinating not only for students and professionals,
including a large collection of photographs. Sometimes irritating, but
basically very appropriate is the international collection of unusual,
also provocative works of art (outsider art or art brut).
Museum
Arnold Vander Haeghen, 9000 Ghent, Veldstraat 82 (next to the uitbureau,
where tickets are also available). Tel.: +32 (0)92698460 Price: Entrance
fee for adults €5, for children <18 years. free, guided tour included in
the price.
Arnold Vander Haeghen donated his house (formerly Hotel
Clemmen) to the city of Ghent with the condition that it be used as a
museum. You can see interiors from the 18th century. The highlights can
only be visited as a guided tour, these are the office and library of
the Belgian Nobel Prize winner Maurice Maeterlinck (Nobel Prize in
Literature 1911), the offices of Charles Doudelet (graphic artist and
illustrator, 1861-1938) and Victor Stuyvaert (graphic designer,
1897-1974) and a Chinese salon. Group tours only Thurs (Tel. +32
(0)92671466), individual visitors Fri/Sat at 2:30 p.m. (Tel. +32
(0)92337788).
Hotel d'Hane Steenhuyse (Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse), 9000
Ghent, Veldstraat 55 Price: see Museum Arnold Vander Haeghen for
admission.
The building complex dates back to the first house of the
d'Hane family from the end of the 17th century. Subsequent generations
expanded and modified, 1761 the rococo staircase, 1768 the late baroque
facade in front of connected houses and the ballroom inside, 1771 the
classical rear. In 1850, the French King Louis XVIII stayed here for the
so-called "Hundred Days". In the middle to the end of the 19th century
there were even larger buildings: in the garden and instead of the
stables, two manor houses were built, the main house was partially
divided into individual apartments. It has been a listed building since
1953 and is being renovated bit by bit.
The complex can only be
visited as part of a guided tour together with the Arnold Vander Haeghen
Museum, see there.
It is also used for smaller cultural events: music
performances, readings, exhibitions.
Vis a vis are contemporary and
fine art in the Citadelpark. It's a stroke of luck to have these two
museums so close together, making them ideal for a comparative visit in
one day. Of course, each museum takes up a whole day for itself without
any problems if you get involved with it intensively.
S.M.A.K
(Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, City Museum of Contemporary Art,
Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst), 9000 Ghent, Citadelpark, Jan
Hoetplein 1. Tel.: +32 (0)92407601, Fax: +32 (0)92217109 , email:
info@smak.be Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Price: Admission price for
adults €6, <26 years. 1 €, <18 y. free.
SMAKs has a very important
collection of contemporary art in Western Europe, including important
Belgian artists such as Panamarenko, Marcel Broodthaers, Thierry De
Cordier and Luc Tuymans. But also international artists such as Joseph
Beuys, David Hammons, Thomas Schütte and Juan Muñoz. Styles such as
Cobra, Pop Art, Minimal Art, Conceptual Art and Arte Povera are
represented. The concept of contemporary acquisition, with which
lesser-known young artists are included in the collections, is also very
beautiful and invigorating.
If an exhibition on a specific topic is
presented in the museum, a kind of counterpoint is created with works
from the museum's own collections, regardless of the artists actually
represented there. This places these works again and again in a
different, exciting context. The museum's weblog also provides an
interesting insight.
Museum of Fine Arts (Museum voor Schone
Kunsten Gent, MSK, Museum voor Schone Kunsten), 9000 Gent,
Citadelpark, Fernand Scribedreef 1. Tel.: +32 (0)92400700, Fax: +32
(0)92400790, Email: museum.msk@gent.be . Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Price:
Admission price for adults €5, >55 years. €3.75, <26 y. 1 €, <19 y.
free, special exhibitions have their own prices, audio guide also in
German for €2.50.
The museum provides a very good overview of Flemish
art from the Middle Ages to the mid-20th century. It has works by famous
artists such as Bosch, Rubens, Jordaens, Brueghel, Pourbus, Hals, Rodin
and Corot. The collection includes works by the Belgian Symbolists,
Impressionists and Expressionists (with an emphasis on painting from the
Southern Netherlands), which are also shown (very good as a
preparation!) on the Flemish Art Collection website. The current
acquisition is on the Belgian and international art of the 19th and
early 20th century and the fin de siècle of the turn of the century.
The restoration of the Ghent Altarpiece (Lamb of God) is taking place in
the museum, where the restorers can also be observed at work.
STAM (Stadtmuseum, Stadsmuseum Gent), 9000 Gent, Godshuizenlaan 2,
Godshuizenlaan 2 (in Bijlokeabtei , hence tram/bus stop Bijlokesite).
Tel.: +32 (0)92671400, Fax: +32 (0)92671498, Email: stam@gent.be Open:
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Price: 8€.
The museum has been housed in the
Bijloke Abbey and Monastery and a new building since 2010 and is based
on the collections of the former "Oudheidständig Museum". It tells the
history, present and future of the city as a journey through time using
exhibits, interactive elements, a large walk-in city map (aerial photo)
on a scale of 1:1000 and much more. Highlights are the Hall Karl v. (the
Ghent as "noose bearers") and the exhibition on the Ghent Altarpiece
with the theft of the part of the painting "The Just Judges". In
addition, there are always changing exhibitions on the subject of urban
development and urbanity.
What is special about the museum are the
many layers of the city of Ghent, which you get to know and later find
again during a city tour or learn to read. Therefore, a visit is not
only worthwhile as a bad weather program, but especially at the
beginning of a stay in the city.
Museum for the History of
Science (Museum voor de Gescheidis van de Wetenschappen, Museum voor de
Gescheidis van de Wetenschappen), 9000 Ghent, Krijgslaan 281, Karel
Lodewijk Ledeganckstraat 35 (Campus "De Sterre", building S30). Tel.:
+32 (0)92644930, Fax: +32 (0)92644973, Email: sciencemuseum@ugent.be The
on-campus museum houses the collection of historical scientific
instruments from the University of Ghent. These include microscopes,
generators and geodetic instruments, various branches of science are
presented based on the historical development of their instruments.
Several scientists are specially presented, e.g. B. Joseph Plateau
(Belgian-Walloon physicist and photo pioneer), Leo Baekeland
(Belgian-American chemist and inventor of the first mass-produced
plastic Bakelite), and August Kekulé (German chemist and scientist, laid
the foundations for the modern structural theory of organic chemistry).
Open: Mon-Fri 10am-12pm and 2pm-5pm, closed during the semester break.
Price: Admission €2.50.
Museum over Industry, Labor and Textiles
(Industriemuseum, MIAT, Museum over Industrie, Arbeid en Textiel),
9000 Gent, Minnemeers 9, Minnemeers 10. Tel.: +32 (0)9 269 42 00, fax:
+32 (0)9 233 07 39 The Industrial Heritage Museum is housed in the
former Desmet-Guequier cotton mill. This is significant, as Ghent was
already famous for its cloth in the Middle Ages and also the starting
point of the industrial revolution on looms. The age of the 1st
Industrial Revolution ("Ons industrieel verleden"), the worldwide
consequences of the industrial revolutions ("WereldWijdWerken") and the
exemplary processing of cotton to the finished product ("Katoenkabaal")
are shown on more than 1,800 square meters. Dye plants, which are also
used in museum workshops, grow in the garden. Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.
Price: Entrance fees: adults €5, >55 years. 3.75, <26 y.o. 1 €, <18 y.
free.
Kunsthalle Sint-Pietersabdij, 9000 Ghent, Sint-Pietersplein 9.
Tel.: +32 (0)9 243 97 30, fax: +32 (0)9 243 97 34, e-mail:
sintpietersabdij@gent.be. Again and again international exhibitions;
Movie guides (3€ extra); Sat/Sun from Sep.-March at 3:00 p.m. puppet
theater. Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Price: Entrance fees: adults €5, >55
years. 3.75, <26 y.o. 1 €, <18 y. free, special exhibitions may have
different or additional prices.
The natural history museum for
children and the young (at heart) is divided into the house and the
garden. The house contains, among other things, a diorama with local
birds, a model of the city of Ghent with sound and light effects, and
the fossil of an ancient reptile. In the garden there are over 1000
varieties of plants, an apiary and live tarantulas. Discover and
experiment is the motto.
The World of Kina (The House, De wereld van
Kina: het Huis), 9000 Ghent, Sint-Pietersplein 14. Tel.: +32
(0)92447373, fax: +32 (0)92447374, e-mail: kinahuis @gent.be. Open:
Mon-Fri from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sat closed, Sun + public holidays
2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Price: Admission prices adults. €2.50, <26 y. and
seniors €1.25, <12y. free.
18 The World of Kina (The Garden, De
wereld van Kina: de Tuin), 9000 Gent, Berouw 55. Tel.: +32 (0)92250542,
Fax: +32 (09)2343056, Email: kinatuin@ gent.be. Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm,
Sat closed, Sun + public holidays 2pm-5:30pm. Price: Admission prices
adults. €2.50, <26 y. and seniors €1.25, <12y. free.
The oldest find that proves the presence of people in the Ghent area is a hand ax that is around 70,000 years old. After that there is a huge gap, which extends to the arrival of the first farmers on the sandy ground that they have avoided for a long time. The first remains of these earliest farmers are dated to around 2000 to 1800 BC. dated. The local group is culturally associated with both the Hilversum culture in the north and the northern French Eramécourt group in Picardy. In the late Bronze Age people followed the Urnfield culture.
Around 700 BC the Iron Age began. In Celtic times, i.e. especially
during the La Tène culture from around 500 to 400 BC. BC, there were
several settlements in the area where the rivers Scheldt and Lys meet.
There were regular floods, so that the reason continued to be more
suitable for sheep breeding than for agriculture. In the area of Ghent,
however, this culture can only be made probable to date. The name Ghent
comes from the Celtic water name Gond, which became Ganda among the
Germans, from which the Latin Gandavum is derived. Ganda is often
translated as confluence, estuary.
The tribes present around
Ghent, the Nervii and the Menapii, are better known through the Romans.
Although the area was around 50 BC. Roman, but first traces of
Romanization can only be found under Emperor Claudius. Road building,
building materials and techniques were gradually adopted by the Romans.
Roman remains have been found in several places in Ghent, such as the
Gravensteen, the Pekelharingstraat, the Schouwburgstraat, the Cathedral
of St Bavo, the Botermarkt, St Pieters Abbey, the Hogeweg and
Sint-Denijs-Westrem . They mostly come from the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
Around 400 the place was taken by the Franks.
Two abbeys were founded in the 7th century: the monastery of Sankt
Bavo (around 625-650) and Blandinium, later the monastery of Sankt Peter
(after 650). They had a significant influence on the development of the
city. The city must have been so important as early as 800 that Ludwig
the Pious appointed Charles biographer Einhard abbot of both abbeys.
Charlemagne tried in vain to fend off the Vikings by building a
fleet. In 851/852 and between 879 and 883 they devastated the city and
plundered the area around Ghent. They settled on the Scheldt for a long
time, here e.g. at the level of today's Duivelsteen, Sankt Bavo,
Biezekapelstraat, Wijdenaard. At the end of the 9th century a castle was
built on the site of today's Gravensteen by Baldwin II the Bald. The
inhabitants thus regrouped around this place and around the Graslei on
the Lys. Ghent grew together from different cores to form a larger city,
which initially covered around 7 hectares.
The oldest town church is tangible since 949. The first bench of lay
judges stood there from the 12th century. The first city walls were
probably built at the end of the 10th century, Ghent expanded and new
municipalities emerged, namely Sint-Jacob, Sint-Niklaas and later
Sint-Michiel. In the 11th century, Ghent became a metropolis of textile
production and a far-reaching economic power. The city with its center
at the Botermarkt was the largest city in the Netherlands until about
1550, outside of Italy only Paris was even larger. It grew to 80 ha, the
ring of canals around the city even covered 644 ha. As early as the 13th
century the city had fifty to sixty thousand inhabitants and more and
more houses were built of stone. In 1120 and 1128 there were devastating
city fires. The fortifications were enlarged, the gates reinforced - an
expansion activity that only ended in the 18th century. Emperor Charles
V said of Ghent: Je mettrai Paris dans mon gant/Gand (“I could put Paris
in my glove/my Ghent”).
Around 1100, the Count of Flanders
granted the city its own jury seat. The city slowly grew into an
autonomous power with independent institutions. Ghent has always been a
rebellious city striving for autonomy. For centuries, citizens fought
against their respective princes to preserve or increase their
privileges or liberties. The nobility had to cede a large part of their
power to the merchant families.
Until 1302, a number of well-to-do bourgeois families, the so-called
XXXIX (39 Ghent lay judges), ruled, since politics and jurisdiction were
in their hands. These patricians formed a cohesive group, made wealthy
through the trade and production of cloth and linen, as well as economic
dominance over the surrounding countryside. Seeking to protect their
interests, they often sided with the French king and opposed their
direct master, the Count of Flanders, earning them the nickname
Leliaerts.
In 1297, Count Guido I of Flanders deposed the Council
of the XXXIX. After the defeat by France at the Battle of Veurne, he was
only able to hold out in Ghent. He was forced to make peace in 1298 and
surrender in 1300. After Bruges' rebellion against the French king and
the success in the Battle of the Spurs in July 1302, the guilds and
small trades were given the right to co-opt lay judges, which resulted
in a form of government in which the guilds had a larger share. The new
government also defended itself against the claims of the princes,
especially against their fiscal claims; this with success, especially
since the count and his son and successor Robert III. spent several
years in French captivity. The more the guilds and merchant families
gained power and influence, the more they insisted on their
independence. The peasants led by Nicolaas Zannekin (until 1328) also
rose up against the rule of the counts.
During the first phase of the Hundred Years' War (1338-1453), Ghent,
after initially being neutral, finally opted for the English side
because the city was dependent on importing raw materials for textile
production and the English had blocked imports. Jacob van Artevelde, a
wealthy cloth merchant, led a rebellion against Louis II of Nevers
because he was on the side of the French king.
In the middle of
the Friday market is a statue of the mayor and merchant Jacob van
Artevelde, who killed King Edward III on January 26, 1340. of England
and recognized as the rightful king of France after the Ghent guilds,
under his authoritarian leadership, had allied with the English to take
joint action against the French nobility.
However, social
conflicts did not stay away ('den quaden maendach') and five years later
the walkers called for an uprising, who wanted to overthrow the weavers
under Artevelde. Fighting broke out at the Friday market as a prelude to
the murder of Jacob van Artevelde, who was murdered on July 17, 1345 in
his apartment on the Kalandeberg.
After the Goede Disendach, the
good Tuesday, the new Count Ludwig van Male was recognized.
Nevertheless, things remained restless in Ghent, the people demanded the
right to have a say and the well-organized guilds took part in political
disputes. In 1369 the allocation of jury offices was adjusted. From then
on, three representatives from the Porters, 5 from the 53 small trades
and 5 from the large guilds were newly admitted to the Alderman Council.
The Count constantly tried to get his hands on power, which led to
rebellions, as in 1379-1385 led by Jan Hyoens, Frans Ackerman and
Philipp van Artevelde, son of Jacob. The uprising began with the murder
of Count Baljuw, who did not sufficiently respect the privileges of
Ghent. Several times the insurgents, with the support of the guilds in
other cities, managed to dominate almost the entire county of Flanders.
Artevelde, the Ghent against the French army led by King Charles VI. and
Ludwig van Male led, died in 1382 in the battle of Westrozebeke.
This first great uprising ended without decision in December 1385 by the
Peace of Doornik, concluded with the new Count Philip the Bold of
Burgundy. In 1384 Ghent became part of the Duchy of Burgundy because
Duke Philip the Bold had married the heiress Margaret of Flanders. This
did not change the handling of privileges, there was even an amnesty for
any form of rebellion, but Ghent had to give up its alliance with
England and recognize the king of France. However, when the Burgundians
restricted the power of the guilds, there was another uprising. The
fighting was bitter, but in the end the Ghent merchants had to admit
defeat to the Burgundians. The dispute over salt and grain taxes lasted
three years. In 1407 the Council of Flanders was established in the
city, which used Dutch as the language of business.
The house of Burgundy became the new adversary of the city, which
initially also opposed Philip the Good. Finally, on July 23, 1453,
the decisive Battle of the Scheldt took place. The 30,000 men of the
city army could not achieve victory. Duke Philip the Good had the
councilors in penitential shirts march outside the city and ask for
mercy. It was only after this battle that Ghent accepted the rule of
Burgundy, which, however, only lasted until 1477. For more than
twenty years, the Burgundians dominated, the richest and largest
urban landscape in Europe after Northern Italy.
In 1477, the
Habsburgs acquired Flanders and thus Ghent through the marriage of
Maria von Burgundy to the later Emperor Maximilian I. This time too,
the merchants fought vigorously for their independence, especially
from 1485. However, after the beheading of Jan van Coppenolle, they
had to sign the Peace of Cadzand on July 29, 1492. This severely
curtailed the city's independence, a situation that only changed
again after the uprising of 1540.
In the 16th century Ghent played an important role in the rise of
Calvinism. In 1537, the city refused to comply with the request of the
governess Maria of Hungary to support the wars of Emperor Charles V, who
was born on February 24, 1500 in the Princely Court of Ghent, against
France. The uprising that followed was crushed by the Emperor with great
severity, and the leaders were beheaded at Gravensteen in 1539. When
political leaders begged for forgiveness in 1540, Ghent was subjected to
a new statute known as the Concessio Carolina. Klokke Roeland, the
symbol of Ghent's independence, was removed from the belfry, and a new
castle, the Spaniardenkastell, was to ensure that the people of Ghent
kept quiet.
The leaders of the uprising had to beg forgiveness in
penitential robes with a noose around their necks, which became part of
the city's cultural memory as an expression of their disempowerment. In
the eyes of strangers, all the inhabitants of Ghent shared the fate of
the Creesers (krijsers). However, the people of Ghent were not meant by
this nickname. Severe sanctions quickly came against those who dared to
use the word, from simple journeymen (“up u bloot lichaem totten
bloede”) to the extreme case of a lieutenant who was hanged on the
gallows in 1578.
After Ghent fell to Charles's son Philip II of
Spain in the mid-16th century, the Protestant inhabitants rose up
against the Catholics from Spain, who in turn reacted with a regime of
terror.[6] The execution of the governor of Flanders, Count Lamoral von
Egmont, in 1568 triggered the liberation struggle of the Netherlands
under William of Orange.
In 1576, during the Eighty Years' War, the assembled States General
concluded the Ghent Pacification, a denominational peace between
Catholics and Protestants. Between 1577 and 1584 Ghent existed as a
Calvinist city republic, led by Jan van Hembyze and François van Ryhove.
At that time the first Ghent (theological) university was founded in
"Het Pand" (today restored and property of the University of Ghent).
After the capture of the city by the Duke of Parma Alessandro Farnese on
August 17, 1584, the Calvinists fled the country, mainly towards the
northern Netherlands.
A new military rampart was built during
this period, which is very visible on Guicciardini's 1612 map compared
to Braun & Hogenberg's 1576 map.
Ghent belonged to the Spanish Netherlands from 1522 to 1714, then to
the Austrian Netherlands until 1795. During the Dutch War, Ghent was
taken by French troops. Due to the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678, the
occupiers withdrew again.
From the late 16th to the mid-18th
centuries, Ghent's economy declined, the population falling from over
50,000 to 31,000 in 1650. With the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, the city
also lost its port's connection to the sea via the Sassevaart to the
Westerschelde. A new sea canal was opened in 1623 with the Ghent–Brugge
canal.
The city was besieged in 1678, 1708 and 1745.
The establishment of new trades in the second half of the 18th
century brought Ghent back to prosperity, so that by the 18th century it
had once again grown to become the largest city in present-day Belgium.
It remained the largest city in Belgium until the famine of 1845-1848.
At the end of the 18th century, Ghent was the first city on the European
mainland to begin industrialization, mainly through the introduction of
mechanical linen and cotton processing and favored by the smuggling of a
spinning machine from England by Lieven Bauwens, the mule jenny. From
then on, Ghent was an important industrial textile city. The raising of
the Coupure (1751-1753) under Maria Theresa, which connected the Leie
with the Brugse Vaart, also provided an upswing.
In 1789, after a
four-day siege, the Dutch patriots captured the city and expelled the
imperial garrison. In the revolutionary wars that followed the French
Revolution, French troops conquered Flanders and in 1792 and 1794 also
Ghent. The democratic movement of the Vonckists had already found
supporters here from 1780 onwards. The number of residents had also
increased again. Around 1800 Ghent had 52,000 inhabitants again. Between
1801 and 1815 over 8,000 people immigrated to Ghent; the city owed an
increased boom in the textile industry above all to the continental
blockade (since 1806). From 1789 Jews settled in the city. Their
congregation grew to 106 people by 1817, but the clergy, who
increasingly dominated the city, created a rather hostile climate, so
that immigration was more likely to come from rural imperial communities
than from commercial cities.
In 1814 the Rijksuniversiteit was
founded, which had 190 students in 1817.
On December 28, 1814,
the Peace of Ghent was signed between Great Britain and the USA. During
the reign of Napoleon's Hundred Days, King Louis XVIII. in town for
quite some time.
In 1815, based on the decisions of the Congress of Vienna, the city
became part of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands. During this
period, Ghent became a university town in 1816/1817, and the
Ghent-Terneuzen canal was built in 1825-1827 to connect the textile
industry towns to the big markets.
The streets of London and
Paris had already received gas lighting in 1812 and 1815 respectively.
Around 1827, Ghent also built its first gas works (the first in
Belgium), enabling the city to replace 700 street torches with safe gas
lanterns after two years. Two more were added to the first gas works,
including the one on the Gasmeterlaan, from which two metal skeletons of
gas holders have been preserved. They stand on the grounds of the De
Nieuwe Molens factory and are protected as industrial monuments.
The citadel of Ghent was also built in the Dutch period to defend
against France.
In 1830 Ghent had 83,843 inhabitants. Meanwhile, Ghent cotton weavers
found a large outlet in the Dutch East Indies, which explains why local
industrialists were less enthusiastic about the Belgian Revolution. When
Belgium became an independent kingdom in 1830, a large part of the
citizenry of Ghent remained Orangist (Hippolyte Metdepenningen), even if
the majority of the upper class spoke French. After 1848 the Orangists
merged into the Liberal Party. Ghent is also the city where the first
modern trade unions and the Belgian socialist movement emerged in
Belgium.
In 1860 the customs law on goods imported into the city
was abolished and the city gates were demolished. Industry consolidated
outside the center, and new neighborhoods were able to take the place of
the old ramparts. In 1913, Ghent hosted the World Exhibition, which took
place in the south of the city. With the Expo in mind, the
Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station was opened on the nearby new
Maria-Hendrikaplein. After this world exhibition, the expo area became
the Miljoenenkwartier.
During the two world wars, Ghent was
largely spared shelling and bombing, so that only a few war casualties
were to be mourned and numerous historical buildings were preserved.
Through incorporations in 1965 and 1977, the city included former
neighboring communities as districts. This increased the area of the
city to 15,600 ha and the population to 246,171.
By plane
The nearest airports are Brussels-Zaventem Airport (IATA:
BRU), about 65 km away, 1 hour by train) and Brussels-Charleroi Airport
(IATA: CRL), about 100 km, bus connections) and Antwerp Airport (IATA:
ANR ) , small airport for business travelers).
By train
Ghent
has several train stations, the two main ones for arrival are:
1
Gent-Sint-St Pieters , 2km south of the city centre, take tram 1 (tram
line) to Korenmarkt (city centre, 10 min ride, 30 min walk)
From
Gent-Sint-Pieters there are regular InterCity or InterRegio trains to
Brussels-South (journey time 30 minutes), from there you can take the
fast Eurostar and Thalys to Paris (1.5 hours), London, Amsterdam or
Cologne (2, 5 hours).
2 Gent-Dampoort, 1km east of the city centre,
trains from Antwerp stop here, bus routes 3, 17, 18, 38 and 39 also go
to the city centre, only 15 minutes' walk
There are daily rail
connections to all major cities in Belgium and neighboring countries. In
30 minutes you can be in Bruges or Brussels by train, so that Ghent
offers itself as a central place to stay.
By bus
Eurolines
offers bus lines to Ghent from several European cities. From Cologne z.
B. twice a day (morning and evening) a bus with 5-6 hours travel time
for the price of 30-40 € (one way).
On the street
By car you
can get to Ghent from the direction of Cologne/Brussels via the E40,
from the direction of the Ruhr area/Netherlands/Antwerpen via the E34 &
E17. The exit is called Gent-Zentrum and leads to the city center from
the south via the B401. There are two ring roads around Ghent: R40 and
R4.
The inner city of Ghent is a jumble of one-way streets and,
even with a GPS, it's easy to get lost. In addition, since its
renovation in 2011, the historic center has been a single pedestrian
zone of 37 hectares. The easiest way is to follow the park route (P1 to
P10). This leads to the ten multi-storey car parks, all of which, with
the exception of P 10, are no further than 300m from the centre. The
tariff for the car parks close to the city center is €1.50/hour and
€10/day, while the P10 only costs €0.50/hour and €2.50/day, but it is
located on the Sint-Pietersplein (between Main station and city center
near the Citadelpark). A total of almost 5,000 underground parking
spaces are available, most of which are open 24 hours a day. More
information on the mobility website Gent (there is also a parking garage
app for iOS & Android) and on the Parkopedia.
An environmental
zone has been in effect in Ghent within the R40 ring road since February
1, 2020. Vehicles with foreign license plates that meet the emission
criteria must be registered in advance. If the criteria are not met, a
day pass can be purchased (until 2025).
By boat
Ghent has the
third largest port in Belgium and is connected to the Westerschelde,
which is open to the sea, via the Gent-Terneuzen Canal. Bulk goods are
handled in this port via PanMax-sized container ships.
There are
several marinas for pleasure boats (see Ghent and waterways map):
Portus Ganda (passenger harbor , VHF kanaal 19), 9000 Gent, Veermanplein
2 (The marina is accessible via the tourist Leie, the Scheldt (Antwerp),
the Ghent Terneuzen canal, the Gent-Brugge-Oostende canal. Everything is
connected by the "Ringvart"). Tel.: +32 (0)472 417843, email:
portusganda@gent.be. Portus Ganda does not have a harbor master.
However, there are enough volunteers present, especially in the high
season.
Yachting Merelbeke, 9820 Merelbeke, Sluisweg (In the Scheldt,
just before the lock into the Ringvaart). Tel.: +32 (0)93627644, mobile:
+32 (0)487 52 12 60, email: sofie.hall@telenet.be. Club members and
guests only. Havenmeester "ROCCO" also via
havenmeester@yachtingmerelbeke.be.
Marina Lindenlei (Vlaamse
Pleziervaart Federatie), 9000 Gent, Lindelei (in the Ketelvaart/Leie
delta, moorings at Verlorenkostbrücke and Ketelbrücke). Tel.: +32
(0)9479246388, email: info@vpf.be. Southwest of downtown, at the level
of the old Palace of Justice. Harbor master:
havenmeester.lindenlei@vpf.be.
Marina Langerbrugge (Royal Yacht Club
Gent), 9000 Gent, Eilanderskaai. Tel.: +32 (0)472896417, email:
kycg@skynet.be.
Snepkaai (VVW Gent Leie), 9000 Gent, Snepkaai 22 (at
the Blaarmeersen sports and leisure park). Tel.: +32 (0)92204424, email:
info@vvw-gent-leie.be.
By bicycle
These LF routes (Landelijke
fietsroutes) pass through Ghent:
LF5 (Vlaanderen Fietsroute): from
Bruges to Thorn (Netherlands)
LF30 (Scheldt Delta Route): from
Kruiningen (Netherlands) to Oudenaarde
LF53 (Artevelderoute) from
Ghent via Tielt to De Panne
The city center is easy to explore on foot, and a pedestrian
information system has been set up for this purpose in recent years. It
consists of routes with junctions; at each node it is indicated how long
it takes to get to the next node at an average speed of 4.3 km/h. A free
map ("voetgangerskaart Gent") can be picked up at the tourist
information.
Alternatively, there are buses, trams and taxis.
Canal boats also operate in summer.
Cyclists have their own
paths, and there are also rental bikes. However, as a cyclist on the
cobbled streets of the inner city, you will be shaken up.
The
buses and trams (Tram) are operated by de Lijn. A single ticket costs €3
from the machine or from the conductor. It is valid for one hour: single
journey. All tickets must be inserted into the validator when
boarding/changing trains, including day tickets.
For adult museum
visitors, the CityCard Gent can be worthwhile, for €30 it offers 48-hour
access to the museums and buildings in the city center as well as the
free public transport ticket for this period.