of this area’s highlights. Follow the orange line ( ) on ... · Make a quarter turn to your...
Transcript of of this area’s highlights. Follow the orange line ( ) on ... · Make a quarter turn to your...
This route is particularly recommended at dusk: the city has a unique Lighting Plan which makes it look truly magical. As a result, the city undergoes a luminous trans-formation at sunset. The Ghent lighting plan won the prestigious City People Light Award and the Auroralia Award. Ghent adopts a responsible approach to energy con-sumption and light pollution, so after midnight the lighting plan changes back to functional lighting.
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CityCard GentExperience Ghent
to the full!(SAVE OVER € 20)
INCLUDED IN THE CARD:
Access to all top attractions, monuments and museums. A guided boat tour, public transport, bike rental (1 day), use of hop on hop off water-
tramway (1 day, if available).
Gent all in 48 HOURS: € 30 / 72 HOURS: € 35
www.visitgent.be Make sure to visitvisitgent.be
ENGLISH
Ghent in a nutshell“GHENT MIGHT JUST BE THE
BEST EUROPEAN CITY YOU’VE NEVER THOUGHT OF VISITING”
LO N E LY P L A N E T
VISIT GENT TOURIST OFFICESt.-Veerleplein 5 - 9000 Gent
opposite the Castle of the Counts+32 9 266 56 60
visitgent.be - [email protected]
Open 7/7 10 A.M. > 6 P.M. (exceptionally closed on 25/12 & 1/1)
c f d g l h #VISITGENTEditor Mieke Hullebroeck - General Manager
Town Hall - Botermarkt 1 - 9000 Gent
CITY WALK HISTORICAL CENTREThis trip through the historical centre of Ghent will show you many of this area’s highlights. Follow the orange line ( ) on the map on the rear and you will literally find yourself wandering among Ghent's many treasures.
Set off from the St.-Veerleplein at the Castle of the Counts 17 . This mas-sive fortress in the heart of the city centre dates back to the Roman occupation. The Counts of Flanders later added the keep, enclosed with stone walls and complete with 24 towers. With your back to the Castle of the Counts, in the right-hand corner of the square you will see the lav-ishly decorated gate of the Old Fish Market 22 , which houses The Visit Gent Tourist Information Centre.
Make a quarter turn to your right, cross over the Lys and immediately turn left into the Jan Breydelstraat. Opposite the Appelbrugparkje you will find the Design Museum Gent 16 , which combines its unique perma-nent collection with international exhibitions. Ahead, you can see the Graslei and Korenlei 14 and enjoy the view of Ghent's medieval inland port with its wonderful guild houses. At the end of the Korenlei, steps will take you to St Michael's Bridge 12 . The perfect place for a selfie: here, you can capture the row of towers (St Nicholas' Church, the Belfry and St Bavo's Cathedral) in one unique image. Behind you is St Michael's Church 13 , which was intended to have a 134-metre tower, although this was never completed due to a lack of funds. Turn around, leave the bridge and take a short detour to the back of the church (Onderbergen), where you will see the Pand 15 . This former Dominican friary is now a culture and conference centre which is owned by Ghent University.
Go back to the bridge and cross the water. The first tower is that of St Nicholas' Church 11 , an impressive example of the Scheldt Goth-ic style. The central lantern tower forms a natural ‘lantern’, as the light shines directly into the transept. Just beyond the church, on your left you will see the contemporary City Pavilion 7 with the Grote Triomfante Bell 5 (commonly known as the Roeland Bell) next to it. Look up and admire the ‘De Maagd’ fresco by Michaël Bor-remans 6 , one of Ghent's internationally renowned top artists. Straight ahead, you will see the Masons' Guild Hall 10 with unique fig-ures by the Ghent singer and city sculptor Walter De Buck on the am-biguous stepped gable: six dancers who turn merrily with the wind. The central tower is the proud Belfry 4 , a UNESCO World Heritage Site which symbolises the city's independence.
Head to the top of the belfry to admire the impressive carillon and the view. Further on, St Bavo's Cathedral 1 joins the stately row of buildings. It is the oldest parish church in Ghent. Alongside doz-ens of other art treasures, this cathedral houses the most important work in Flemish art history: the Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers 1 . The masterpiece is being restored in phases, but two-thirds of the original can still be viewed. NTGent 2 , Ghent's municipal theatre with an international image, is located in the centre of the square. The Achtersikkel 3 is located in the alley to the left of the cathedral. Walk down this alley and turn left onto the Nederpolder, then carry on un-til you reach the Town Hall 8 . Look out for the different architectural styles: 16th-century Gothic on the right and the much later Renaissance on the left. Turn right into the Belfortstraat and carry on to St James' Church, the epicentre of the annual Ghent Festivities. On Fridays, Satur-days and Sundays, you will find the perfect souvenir at the flea market outside St James' Church.
Turn left at the Vlasmarkt and again at St James' Church, which takes you to the Vrijdagmarkt 27 . Over the centuries, many sovereigns have been received, celebrations held and vendettas settled in this square. In the centre of the square, you can see Jacob van Artevelde pointing towards England. As a result of his coalition with the English king, Ghent remained largely neutral in the 14th century and continued to thrive during the Hundred Years’ War. Almost 700 years after the ‘Wise man of Ghent’ was murdered, Ghent is still referred to as the city of Artevelde.
Cross over the square and head down the Meerseniersstraat next to Ons Huis 27 to admire the big cannon known as the ‘Dulle Griet’ or ‘Mad Meg’ from the Zuivelbrug bridge. Cross over the bridge and walk into the Patershol 24 , a welcoming neighbourhood with a medieval street pattern which is full of intimate restaurants. Then wander down the Rodekoningstraat, the Plotersgracht (2nd on the left) and the Hertog-straat (left) to the Kraanlei. Here, you will find the House of Alijn 23 with its unique courtyard: a lively and dynamic museum which shows how normal people lived everyday life. Go left across the water towards the Groentenmarkt where you will find the Great Butchers' Hall 21 . Today, the impressive, medieval covered hall houses a centre which sells re-gional products. On the market square, you can buy cuberdons from the stalls or mustard from Tierenteyn.
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