Belgium and Luxembourg (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

130 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION

As a tourist destination, the Flemish city of
Ghent (Gent in Dutch) has long been over-
shadowed by its neighbour, Bruges. In
part, this reflects their divergent histories.
The success of the cloth trade during the
Middle Ages was followed by a period
of stagnation for Bruges, while Ghent
became a major industrial centre in the
19th century. The resulting pollution coated the city’s
antique buildings in layers of grime from its factories.
In the 1980s, Ghent initiated a restoration programme.
The city’s medieval buildings were cleaned, industrial
sites were tidied up and the canals were cleared. Today,
the intricately carved stonework of its churches and old
buildings, as well as the city’s excellent museums and
stern, forbidding castle give the centre its character.

Street-by-Street: Ghent y

. The Design
Museum Gent
This elegant
19th-century dining
room is just one of
many charming
period rooms in
the decorative arts
museum. The collec-
tion is housed in an
18th-century man-
sion and covers art
and design from the
1600s to the present.

Het Gravensteen

Ghent’s centre is dominated

by the thick stone walls and

imposing gatehouse of its

ancient Castle of the Counts.

. Graslei
One of Ghent’s
most picturesque
streets, the Graslei
overlooks the River
Leie on the site of the
city’s medieval har-
bour. It is lined with
perfectly preserved
guildhouses; some date
from the 12th century.

Bell on display

in the Belfort

Korenmarkt

This busy street was once

the corn market, the commer-

cial centre of the city since

the Middle Ages. Today, it is

lined with popular cafés.

To Ghent

St-Pieters

BURGSTRAAT

ST

VEERLEPLEIN

KR

AA

NL

EI

GROENTE MARKT

BRE

YDEL STRAAT

GRASBURG

KORENLEIGRASLEI

K

O

R

T

E

M

U

N

T

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp264–6 and pp288–91

STAR SIGHTS

. The Design
Museum Gent
. Graslei
. St-Baafskathedraal