In days gone by, Ghent was considered the poor relation of Bruges — but times have changed. Tourists are welcomed here with warmth, and Ghent is also a university city, an inland port and an industrial city. It has the gritty edge missing in Bruges; less pampered but with some of the most spectacular medieval architecture in Europe. Add to that museums and artwork, and this is a city on the up and up. But where to start? Right here, with the ten best sights in Ghent.
So many sights to see in the beautiful city of Ghent
Stadsmuseum Gent (Ghent City Museum)
This museum should be the compulsory first stop in Ghent as it provides a light-handed and educational introduction to the delights of the city, with chronological displays utilizing multimedia, interactive models and digital images, while drawing on an extensive collection that includes guild relics, stained-glass panels and ancient maps. STAM is cleverly located in a 14th-century abbey, a 17th-century monastery and a very 21st-century glass gallery, neatly echoing the eras when the city of Ghent has been at its most successful.
Sint-Baafskathedraal (St Bavo’s Cathedral)
Dominating the pedestrianized center of Ghent, the exterior of St Bavo Cathedral looks rather dull (the tower is under scaffolding), but inside all that changes. Dedicated to the patron saint of Ghent, the cathedral was constructed in stages from the 13th century onward, and its grandiose interior is filled with vast biblical paintings, statuary, a wooden oak pulpit entwined with marble and slabs of tombstones. The masterly Conversion of St Bavo (1623) by Rubens stands in a chapel named after the great Flemish artist, and the cathedral also houses Ghent’s best-loved artistic treasure. Flemish Primitive artists Hubert and Jan van Eyck created the 24-panel altarpiece, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, in 1432; it is currently under restoration until 2017, but two-thirds of the glowing, delicate panels are still available for viewing.
Gravensteen Castle
Moated Gravensteen Castle was built in 1180 to show off the might of Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders; a circular, austere fortress looming over the River Leie sent out a strong message to the citizens of Ghent: behave, or else. Philip had just returned from the Crusades, and the construction of Gravensteen was clearly influenced by the brooding crusader castles found across the Mediterranean. If its thick walls, keep, battlements, towers and turrets didn’t scare off attackers, the torture chamber would — today’s kids will love the grisly branding irons and thumbscrews, as well as the clever movie guide to the history of the castle provided on tablet.
Gravensteen Castle on the banks of the River Leie
Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts Ghent Fine Arts)
Ghent’s fine arts museum in Citadelpark has had a recent facelift; behind its neo-classical facade, all is stark white galleries tracing Flemish art from the Middle Ages to modern day. Star turns in the excellent collection come from Bosch, Brueghel, Rubens, Paelinck, van Dyck and late 19th-century Romantic artist James Ensor.
Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst Gent (Museum of Contemporary Art)
Ghent’s contemporary art collection is located in Citadelpark along with the fine arts museum. The permanent collection includes big names such as Francis Bacon as well as Gilbert and George, plus a significant cache of colorful, “naïve” works by the CoBrA artists (an art movement from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam). The standard of temporary exhibitions varies from tedious to sublime, so check what’s on before visiting.
Patershol
The cosy medieval neighborhood of Patershol is squeezed between the west bank of the Leie River and Lieve Canal; this district of tiny pedestrianized alleys, monasteries and tightly jammed brick cottages was rebuilt in the 17th century for the city’s artisans and tradesmen. Around 100 of these little houses have been extensively spruced up, and much of Patershol has been taken over by cool shops, boutique hotels, restaurants and low-key bars. It has also become the latest clubbing hotspot for Ghent’s university students. However, it’s still the place to drink in the vibe of working-class Ghent of days long gone.
Design museum Gent
This is a museum in two parts, showcasing the very best in European design. It is fronted by the Baroque Hotel de Coninck, where a suite of rooms are kitted out in typical 18th- and 19th-century Flemish style, leading on to formal gardens dominated by an enormous pale-green glass urn. At the rear of the palace, an airy, modern and sun-filled gallery displays Art Nouveau furniture by Victor Horta; well-known contemporary design classics such as Alessi kitchenware and Arne Jacobsen furniture; plus avant-garde work from De Invasie (The Invasion), a bunch of talented young Belgian designers. Recent acquisitions include an automatic Coke dispenser that won the Good Design Award in 2011 and a delicate mirrored cabinet designed by Italian Andrea Branzi.
Huis van Alijn (House of Alijn)
Ghent’s miniscule folklore museum is located in a series of cute little almshouses that date from the 12th century and takes a penetrating look at 20th-century Flemish life with the aid of reconstructed rooms, film footage, posters and albums of digital images. Displays include replicas of weaving and metalwork workshops and a couple of shop interiors from the 1950s and 1980s. A entertaining way for kids to see how life has changed over the last 50 or so years.
The canals of Ghent
Ghent Canals
The views from St Michael’s Bridge are one of the most beautiful sight in Ghent: the medieval quays of Graslei and Korenlei facing each other across the River Leie. Originally forming part of the city’s medieval harbor, the banks are lined with Europe’s loveliest gabled guild houses and warehouses, spanning a timeline of architectural styles from the 1200s and 1600s. Although a restorative nip and tuck has been performed recently, these wonderful, distinctive buildings have maintained their ancient allure. By day, tour boats leave from the quays, and by night restaurants, cafés and bars merge under umbrellas along the canalsides as the late-night party begins.
Ghent Light Plan
In 2010, a plan was conceived to showcase the city’s spectacular architectural highlights at its best, with light displays. After dark, a two-hour circular walk from Kouter leads to the main square of Vrijdagmarkt, taking in the medieval guild houses on Korenlei and Graslei — a truly breathtaking experience.
- Contributed by Sasha Heseltine
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