monumentS
Bathhouse Van Eyck (address: Veermanplein 1)
Van Eyck is the oldest indoor bathhouse with bathtubs and showers in Belgiumill in use. After the construction of the bathing establishments of Verviers (1868) and Brussels (Le Bain Royal of 1878, Ghent followed the European trend started by Liverpool in the first half of the 19th century.
Béguinage Sint-Amandsberg (address: Jan Roomsstraat – Engelbert Van Arenbergstraat)
The Holy Corner (Old Saint Elisabeth béguinage) was located on a site perfect for town expansion. During the second half of the 19th century the pressure of the growing population on this béguinage became bigger and bigger. Under the influence of the Commission of Civil Hospices of the city of Ghent, the new Saint Elisabeth béguinage in Sint-Amandsberg was built.
Béguinage Ter Hoye (address: Lange Violettestraat)
In 1234, shortly after the erection of the Holy Corner, the béguinage Ter Hoye was built at the Groene Hoye, between the Hooipoort and the Vijfwindgatenpoort. This béguinage was built by charge of Jeanne and Margaret II, the countesses of Flanders. The béguinage gave shelter to beguines coming from the impoverished nobility, the bourgeoisie and the rich farming families. Initially, the béguinage was dependent on the Saint John’s Parish but in the third quarter of the 14th century it obtained complete parochial rights.
Belfry (address: Sint-Baafsplein)
The erection of the Ghent municipal tower began in 1313. This tower was the symbol of the city’s autonomy. Because of wars and disorder, the contruction was suspended very frequently. The Belfry was finally completed in 1380. Through the centuries, the building had seven different crownings, adapted to the growing number of carillon clocks. The silhouette of the crowning was built according to the architectural style of that time. In the middle of the 19th century, the wooden spire was replaced by a cast-iron campanile. Due to the lack of maintenance the spire started to rust. This made its demolition inevitable. The new stone bell tower, created after a design of the 14th century, was finished just before the World Exhibition of 1913. The faulty anchorage on the old shell was a reason for thorough restoration works between 1967 and 1980.
Episcopal Seminary (address: Biezekapelstraat 2)
After the religious wars in the late 16th century seminaries were being built where clergymen were ordained priests. The first buildings of this seminary were being erected in 1623, after a design by Pieter Huyssens (1622-1657).
Book Tower (address: Rozier 9)
In 1933, the Book Tower (the library of the Ghent University) and the Institute of History of Art, Zoology and Pharmacy were erected at the Blandijnberg after a design by Henry Van de Velde. From the very start, Van de Velde had a tower in mind to serve as the storage accommodation of the books of the Ghent University. This building had to be the symbol of science, wisdom and knowledge. The Book Tower is an example of the modernistic architecture of those days. It is an austere, elegant and functional element in the historic skyline.
Caermersklooster (address: Vrouwebroersstraat)
The monastery of the calked Carmelites (Caermersklooster) had a great impact on the quarter “Patershol”. Originally, the Carmelites come from the Near East (the word Carmelite is derived from the mountain Carmel in Palestine).Under pressure of the Islam they came to Europe. In 1287, they moved into the Abbey of Cambron.
Geraard de Duivelsteen (address: Geraard de Duivelsteen 1)
The Gerard de Duivelsteen, a 13th century castle, is named after its builder; Knight Gerard Vilain who was nicknamed the Devil. It remained family property until 1328 after which it was sold to the city of Ghent. The building has exercised many purposes: knight quarter, arms depot, monastery, school and Episcopal seminary. In 1623 it became an institution for mentally disabled individuals and a home for boy orphans. Another part of the building was used as a prison or a detention centre.
Gerechtshof (address: Koophandelsplein 23-24)
The Gerechtshof (Law Court) was designed by Louis Roelandt and constructed between 1836 and 1846 on the site were the Recolettenklooster used to be.
The impressive building, situated at the confluence of the Lys River and the Ketelvaart, reflects the spirit of the Italian Renaissance.
Graslei (address: Graslei)
From the 11th century, there has been a lot of harbour activity at the Lys River “between the bridges”. Back then, the site was mainly known for the import of grain from the County of Artois (Northern France). Ghent was the staple town so all import of grain to the County of Flanders had to pass through the harbour. Merchants were obliged to bring a specified amount of their grain to the grain depot. Only after the grain had been there for two weeks, the owner was allowed to sell it at the Ghent market. Many buildings are a reminder of these activities and represent the flourishing of the Ghent trade.
During the 18th and 19th century, most buildings were renovated. Many of them lost their original character. With a view on the 1913 World Exhibition, the historical buildings were thoroughly renovated but not always with the needed attention to their authenticity.In 2003, the City of Ghent received a big subsidy for the restoration of the Graslei and Korenlei. Their project was carried out within the framework of a programme for the promotion of the revaluation of the Ghent canals, for the development of the mobility plan 'City Centre of Ghent' and for the reconstruction of the 'Kuip van Gent'.
Gravensteen (Count’s Castle)
From the count’s residence to cotton mill, from small fortification with wooden buildings to an impressive castle, from a symbol of power to a tourist attraction … The Gravensteen has had a stirring history of construction, decline and revaluation.
Groot Vleeshuis (address: Groentenmarkt 7)
The Groot Vleeshuis (Meat House) was designed by Gilles de Sutter and built between 1407 and 1419. Meat houses were big covered markets where the sales were centralized in order to check the meat’s freshness and quality. Private sales at home were forbidden. Between 1542 and 1543, sixteen tripe stores were built on the south-eastern side of the Groot Vleeshuis. For hygienic reasons, these separate stores were used for the sale of entrails, intestines and other remains of animals.
The ‘Licht’ (address: Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 128)
The façade of the former editorial offices of the Licht and the Vooruit in the Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat is at the very least one of the most remarkable façades from the interbellum period in Ghent.
In 1930, architect Ferdinand Brunfaut built a new printer in the garden of a 19th century mansion.
Not only the use of concrete, but especially the creative use of glass and metal, in which light plays a very important part, made these premises a symbol of the architectural style.
Hoofdwacht (address: Kouter 29)
In 1738, the aldermen in Ghent ordered the construction of a post for the imperial troops of Empress Maria Theresa. The ‘Corps de Garde’ was designed by the important master builder David ‘t Kindt. This building is one of the most precious examples of the rococo-architecture in Ghent. Characteristic of this architectural style is the strongly emphasized middle party with a jutting part that is being crowned by a domed mansard roof. The fronton is decorated with a women’s figure next to a cannon and some cannon balls, which refer to the former military function of the building.
Hotel de Coninck (address: Jan Breydelstraat 5)
The “Museum of Decorative Arts and Design” has been accommodated in this impressive hotel since 1920. The building is thought to have been built in 1755 and was bought by Ferdinand de Coninck six years later. He was a rich linen merchant who had close trade relations with Holland, Spain and overseas areas. The building was situated in the immediate vicinity of the discharging quays at the Korenlei and Houtlei, which made it the perfect location for doing business.
Hotel Vander Haeghen (address: Veldstraat 82)
This mansion was designed by David ‘t Kindt and built around 1746. Judocus Clemmen, the first Ghent cotton baron, purchased the uncompleted premises in 1771. He had the façade completed and a storage depot was built at the rear of the building. It was in this building along the Lys River that he set up his cotton printing mill. Although the decorative patterns on the façade are typical of the rococo style, there are traces of classicism, such as the triangular fronton and the festoons and laurel wreaths of the wrought-iron balustrade.
The Alijn Children’s Home (address: Kraanlei 65)
The Alijn Children’s Home came into existence as a feud between the aristocratic Rijm and Alijn families. After the cowardly murders of Hendrik and Zeger Alijn, the Rijm family was pardoned on condition that they set up a hospice and a chapel on land donated by the Alijn family. The charter of foundation (1363) stipulated that this hospice had to provide shelter for poor people and exercise works of Christian mercy.
Klooster fransiscanen (address: Oude Houtlei 124)
Due to the war, the convent community ‘Order of Poor Ladies’ took refuge in Ghent in the middle of the 17th century. The community bought a house and the adjacent lands between the Oude Houtlei, the Maagdestraat and the Holstraat and built a convent and a chapel. In 1783, Emperor Joseph II suppressed the convent. Not much later, it was restored, but in 1796, it was suppressed again by the French occupier. The buildings were sold to a civilian who donated the buildings to the ‘Order of Poor Ladies’.
KNS (address: Sint-Baafsplein 17)
The ‘Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg’ (Royal Dutch Theatre)was built at the end of the 19th century after a design by architect Edmond De Vigne. The big tympanum, decorated with a colourful mosaic, is the most outstanding feature of the façade.
The allegorical tableau depicts Apollo and the Muses. In the alcoves, statues depict the most important Ghent chambers of rhetoric of the 19th century. The architectural style of the theatre’s interior is neo-Renaissance and eclecticism.
Vlaamse Opera (address: Schouwburgstraat 3)
City architect Louis Roelandt built the Grand Théâtre, the present Vlaamse Opera (Flemish Opera), between 1837 and 1840 on the site where the Sint-Sebastiaansgilde (guild) used to have its theatre. The Grand Théâtre was the Ghent bourgeoisie’s favourite meeting place in the 19th century.
Korenlei (address: Korenlei)
From the 11th century, there has been a lot of harbour activity at the Lys River “between the bridges”. Back then, this site was mainly known for the import of grain from the County of Artois (Northern France). Ghent was the staple town so all import of grain to the County of Flanders had to pass through the harbour. Merchants were obliged to bring a specified amount of their grain to the grain depot. Only after the grain had been there for two weeks, the owner was allowed to sell it at the Ghent market. Many buildings are a reminder of these activities and represent the flourishing of the Ghent trade.
During the 18th and 19th century, most buildings were renovated. Many of them lost their original character. With a view to the 1913 World Exhibition, the historical buildings were thoroughly renovated but not always with the needed attention to their authenticity.
In 2003, the City of Ghent received a big price for the restoration of the Graslei and Korenlei. Their project was carried out within the framework of a programme for the promotion of the revaluation of the Ghent canals, for the development of the mobility plan ‘City Centre of Ghent’ and for the reconstruction of the ‘Kuip van Gent’.
Cloth Hall (address: Botermarkt 17)
In the Middle Ages, Ghent was one of the most important places for the trade of wool and cloth. All cloth made within a mile around the town had to be brought to the cloth hall. Here, the cloths were valued and inspected by three hallenheren (inspectors) and eventually sold to the merchants.
Minard Theatre (address: Walpoortstraat 15)
In 1874, architect Louis Minard built a theatre for performances in Dutch. He did this at his own expenses as a reaction against the French-speaking playhouse and opera. The recently restored façade is a fine example of late classical architecture. Its plastered and painted surface is highlighted on the first floor by high arch windows with decorative tympana.
Saint-Peter’s Church (address: Sint-Pietersplein)
This baroque church was built in 1629 after a design by Pieter Huyssens. It was built at the foundations of the Romanesque abbey church that was almost totally destroyed during the religious riots at the end of the 16th century. In 1722, the building works were completed.
Pand (address: Onderbergen 5)
The name ‘Het Pand’ refers to the fully restored monastery of the Dominican Order. In the 13th century, the Count of Flanders gave the Dominican Order the hospital ‘Utenhave’ next to the Saint-Michael’s Church because it had become too small. A church was built in 1240 and in the first half of the 14th century, the fathers erected the ‘Leievleugel’.
Postgebouw Korenmarkt
This former post office was built between 1898 and 1909 after a design by Louis Cloquet. The architectural style is eclecticism with neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance influences. The façade is abundantly decorated with statues and escutcheons. Besides statues that represent Belgium, Flanders and the Walloon provinces, the portraits of 23 former European heads of state are depicted in the façade. Above the main entrance at the Korenlei, the Belgian monarchs are depicted.
Saint-Anne’s Church (address: Sint-Annaplein 1)
In 1837, the construction of the railway line Ghent-Mechelen gave the go-ahead for the development of the ‘Zuidwijk’ (quarter in the centre of Ghent). The population started increasing rapidly. Theparish soon had 18000 memberswho needed a new big church as a replacement for the Saint-Anne’s Chapel. The church was built to the south of the Sint-Annaplein at the end of the Keizer Karelstraat.
Saint-Bavo’s Cathedral (address: Sint-Baafsplein 4)
The earliest records of the oldest parish church in Ghent date back to the 10th century. In 942, a chapel was built near the busy mooring place at the Lower Scheldt. The church was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and was rebuilt and enlarged in the 11th century.
Saint-Elisabeth Béguinage
In 1242, Jeanne, Countess of Flanders, founded the béguinage in ‘het Broek’, a swampy area outside the first town walls near the ‘Prinsenhof’ (prince’s court).
After, the béguinage was a small walled town inside the city of Ghent with a grand entrance and with the church as its central point.
Saint-Jacob’s Church
In 1093, a wooden church was built in the Ghent Waterwijk (quarter in Ghent). During the 12th century, it was replaced by a monumental stone church. During the last few centuries, the current tripodal church was restored and extended several times.
Saint-Michael’s Church (address: Sint-Michielsplein)
During the 12th century, a chapel to the Holy Michael was situated at the area Overleie. Due to fire, this XXX was destroyed by fire and reconstructed twice. In the beginning of the 15th century, the chutch had become XXX and too small. In 1440, building works started at the new Gothic church. Nave and transept were completed in the beginning of the 16th century. During the religious riots of the early 16th century, the building works were XXX.
Saint-Nicholas’ Church (address: Cataloniëstraat)
A Romanesque church had already been built on this site in the late 11th or early 12th century. It was replaced in the early 13th century by a new church in Scheldt-Gothic style. First, the first four bays of the tripodal nave were built. A few decades later, the entire nave, the transept, and the service tower were completed. In the 14th and 15th centuries, building work continued and the first alterations were made. The chancel was lengthened by two bays and expanded with a choir aisle and radiating chapels. In the 16th century, the church suffered severely at the hands of the iconoclasts.
Saint-Peter’s Abbey (address: Sint-Pietersabdij)
Saint Peter’s Abbey, like Saint Bavo’s Abbey, was founded in the 7th century by Saint Amand or one of his disciples. The two abbeys quickly became very powerful and acquired mighty estates outside Ghent.
Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station (address: Maria-Hendrikaplein)
In 1837, the first Ghent railway station was built to the south of the city. After, several other smaller railway stations were built for the transportation of goods from and to the harbour. Many of those stations were built as a terminus but after a while, the ever-increasing train traffic, caused the railway network to expand.
Stadhuis (Botermarkt 1)
Since 1301, the Ghent magistrate was composed of 13 aldermen of ‘Keure’who were in charge of the actual administration of the city and 13 aldermen who dealt with matters of inheritance and guardianship. Shortly after, the town council decided to purchase three premises at the Hoogpoort; the foundation of what was to be the current city hall complex.
Toreken (address: Vrijdagmarkt 33)
The Toreken, formerly the tanners’ guildhall, was built in Gothic style between 1450 and 1483. It has a stepped gable in the Kammerstraat and a staircase tower as a distinguishing feature.
The ground floor, which was used for storing, working and trading, is rather austere. Most remarkable is the guild hall ceiling at the first floor, with tie-beams resting on carved corbels. The second floor and the attic are also very impressive.
Vooruit (address: Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23)
The ‘Vooruit’ was the gathering spot for the socialist labour movement. It was built between 1911 and 1914 after a design by architect Ferdinand Dierkens. He made use of the difference in height of twelve meters between the building and the Scheldt to divide the building in two different structures and to build the theatre hall and the cinema hall on two different floors.
Besides the excessive use of new materials and techniques like concrete, metal, glass and synthetic rock, the building also is a striking example of eclecticism. The ‘Vooruit’ knew its height of popularity during the interbellum period. Back then, many political meetings, gatherings of socialist movements and artistic activities were held.
MUSEUMS
The S.M.A.K. (Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art) is the biggest museum for contemporary art in Flanders. Lots of exhibitions are held in this museum and the musueum has it’s own collection of over 2000 works of art. That’s why the S.M.A.K. is known by art lovers all over the world.
Since its opening in 1999, this museum made its name thanks to its surprising approach of many talked-about exhibitions. The temporary exhibitions are always brought into dialogue with the works of art of the permanent collection.
MIAT (address: Minnemeers 9)
The Museum for Industrial Archeology en Textile is a historical museum discussing the period from 1750 to now. It is the most obvious starting point for people interested in Flemish history. The industrial society is being discussed thoroughly: the first industrial revolution, the advent of the machine, the evolution of the consumer and information society and many inventions are only a few of its many interesting themes.
The Museum of Fine Arts (address: Charles de Kerckhovelaan 187A)
The Museum of Fine Arts dates back to 1798 and is one of the oldest museums of the country. It has a permanent collection of around 350 works of art; paintings, statues, tapestries, drawings and graphics. The collection sketches a picture of the Flemish art from the Middle Ages to the first half of the 20th century.
Huis van Alijn (address: Kraanlei 65)
In the ‘Huis van Alijn’ (House of Alijn), you can become acquainted with the culture and the daily life of the inhabitants of Ghent during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The collection is focused on four central themes: life cycle, leisure time, religion and trade.
Temporary exhibitions give special attention to other cultures and tropical subjects.
Museum Dr. Guislain (address: Jozef Guislainstraat 43)
The permanent collection of the Museum Dr. Guislain is divided in three sections: the history of psychiatry, a photo collection with photos from 1860 to now about life in the psychiatric hospital and the department outsider art (works of art of artists with mental problems who are each working on art ‘in a very different way’). The collection of this last department evolved from being very modest to very extended.
Design Museum Gent (address: Jan Breydelstraat 5)
The Design Museum Ghent is unique of its kind in Belgium. Its exhibitions focus on 20th century and contemporary design.
The 'old' museum collection mainly contains 17th and 18th century furniture which is placed in the stylish interiors of the 'Hotel De Coninck'.
The absolute highlight is the original dining room of the Ghent sculptor J.F. Allaert where his wooden chandelier still hangs at the original spot.
City Museum of Ghent (address: Bijlokesite)
The City Museum of Ghent (STAM) will open its doors in 2008. It will be the place to be for starting a cultural exploration through Ghent. The STAM offers a lucid overview of the past of Ghent and gives an insight into its future. The patrimony of the STAM is a highlight in itself. The former Bijloke-abbey accommodates one of the most beautiful medieval refectories in Western Europe, with unique murals from the pre-Van Eyck age.
The STAM is located at the Bijloke-site, a green oasis near the city centre. Once, this site was a medical centre, now it will be a splendid cultural haven at the banks of the Lys River.
Museum A. Vander Haeghen (address: Veldstraat 82)
The hotel ‘Arnold Vander Haeghen’, formerly known as the ‘Hotel Clemmen’ was founded in the 18th century faithful to the design of architect David ‘t Kindt. A unique Chinese lounge can be found inside the hotel.
The room ‘Kabinet Maeterlinck’ is a reconstruction of Maurice Maeterlinck’s study in the castle Orlamonde in Nice. In 1911, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Museum Sisters of Love (address: Molenaarsstraat 28)
For more information, visit this site : http://www.archief-museum.zvl.org/index.html
The congregation Sisters of Love was founded in 1803 in Lovendegem by priest J.P. Triest. It was active in the field of psychiatry, handicapped welfare, child welfare. They also ran hospices for the incurably ill, hospitals and old people’s homes. Since the end of the 19th century, missionaries moved to Congo, Ceylon and India. The congregation now forms an international group, with around 1300 sisters, spread all over the world. The museum elucidates the genesis and the cultural-historical legacy of the congregation.
Individual visitors can enter the museum on Friday between 9 and 16 o’clock.
Group visits are always by appointment.