Ghent altarpiece at Altaussee.jpg

Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in size only by Brussels and Antwerp. It is a Port of Ghent, port and Ghent University, university city.

The city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie and in the Late Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe, with some 50,000 people in 1300.

The municipality comprises the city of Ghent proper and the surrounding suburbs of Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke (East Flanders), Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With 262,219 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019, Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. The metropolitan areas in Belgium, metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 560,522 as of 1 January 2018, which ranks it as the fourth most populous in Belgium.Statistics Belgium; ''Werkelijke bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2008'' (excel-file)
Population of all municipalities in Belgium, as of 1 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-10-19.Statistics Belgium; ''De Belgische Stadsgewesten 2001'' (pdf-file)
Definitions of metropolitan areas in Belgium. The metropolitan area of Ghent is divided into three levels. First, the central agglomeration (''agglomeratie'') with 278,457 inhabitants (1 January 2008). Adding the closest surroundings (''banlieue'') gives a total of 455,302. And, including the outer commuter zone (''forensenwoonzone'') the population is 594,582. Retrieved on 2008-10-19. The current List of mayors of Ghent, mayor of Ghent, Mathias De Clercq is from the liberal & democratic party Open VLD.

The ten-day-long Ghent Festival (''Gentse Feesten'' in Dutch) is held every year and attended by about 1–1.5 million visitors.

History

Archaeological evidence shows human presence around the confluence of the Scheldt and the Leie going back as far as the Stone Age and the Iron Age.

Most historians believe that the older name for Ghent, 'Ganda', is derived from the Celts, Celtic word ''ganda'', which means confluence. Other sources connect its name with an obscure deity named Gontia (deity), Gontia.

There are no written records of the Ancient Rome, Roman period, but archaeological research confirms that the Gent area continued to be inhabited.

When the Franks invaded the Roman territories from the end of the 4th century and well into the 5th century, they brought their language with them, and Celtic and Latin were replaced by Old Dutch.

Middle Ages

Around 650, Saint Amand founded two abbeys in Ghent: St. Peter's Abbey, Ghent, St. Peter's (Blandijnberg, Blandinium) and Saint Bavo's Abbey. Around 800, Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, appointed Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, abbot of both abbeys. The city grew from several nuclei, the abbeys, and a commercial centre. However, in 851 and 879 the city was plundered by Vikings.

Under the protection of the County of Flanders the city recovered and flourished from the 11th century, growing to become a small city-state. By the 13th century, Ghent was the biggest city in Europe north of the Alps after Paris; it was bigger than Cologne or Moscow. Up to 65,000 people lived within the city walls. The Belfry of Ghent, belfry and the towers of the Saint Bavo Cathedral and Saint Nicholas' Church, Ghent, Saint Nicholas' Church are just a few examples of the skyline of the period.

The rivers flowed in an area where much land was periodically flooded. These rich grass 'meersen' ("water-meadows": a word related to the English 'marsh') were ideally suited for herding sheep, the wool of which was used to make cloth. Ghent was the leading city for cloth during the Middle Ages.

The Wool#History, wool industry, originally established at Bruges, created the first European industrialized zone in Ghent in the High Middle Ages. The mercantile zone was so highly developed that wool had to be imported from Scotland and England. This was one of the reasons for Flanders' good relationship with Scotland#Middle Ages, Scotland and History of England#England under the Plantagenets, England. Ghent was the birthplace of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt, Duke of Duchy of Lancaster, Lancaster. Trade with England (but not Scotland) suffered significantly during the Hundred Years' War.

Early modern period

The city recovered in the 15th century when Flanders was united with neighbouring provinces under the Duchy of Burgundy, Dukes of Burgundy. High taxes Revolt of Ghent (1449–1453), led to a rebellion and eventually the Battle of Gavere in 1453, in which Ghent suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of Philip the Good. Around this time the centre of political and social importance in the Low Countries started to shift from Flanders (Bruges–Ghent) to Duchy of Brabant, Brabant (Antwerp–Brussels), although Ghent continued to play an important role. With Bruges, the city led two Flemish revolts against Maximilian of Austria, revolts against Maximilian of Austria, the first monarch of the House of Habsburg to rule Flanders.

In 1500, Juana of Castile gave birth to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, who became Holy Roman Emperor and King of Kingdom of Spain, Spain. Although native to Ghent, he punished the city after the 1539 Revolt of Ghent (1539), Revolt of Ghent and obliged the city's nobles to walk in front of the Emperor barefoot with a noose (Dutch: ''"strop"'') around the neck; since this incident, the people of Ghent have been called "''Stroppendragers''" (noose bearers). Saint Bavo Abbey (not to be confused with the nearby Saint Bavo Cathedral) was abolished, torn down, and replaced with a fortress for Kingdom of Spain, Royal Spanish troops. Only a small portion of the abbey was spared demolition.

The late 16th and 17th centuries brought devastation because of the Eighty Years' War. The war ended the role of Ghent as a centre of international importance. In 1745, the city Fall of Ghent, was captured by French forces during the War of the Austrian Succession before being returned to the Austria, Empire of Austria under the Habsburgs, House of Habsburg following the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, when this part of Flanders became known as the Austrian Netherlands until 1815, the exile of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon I, the end of the French Revolutionary and later Napoleonic Wars and the peace treaties arrived at by the Congress of Vienna.

19th century

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ghent's textile industry flourished again. Lieven Bauwens, having smuggled the industrial revolution, industrial and factory machine plans out of England, introduced the first mechanical Weaving machines, weaving machine on the European continent in 1800.

The Treaty of Ghent, negotiated here and adopted on Christmas Eve 1814, formally ended the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States (the North American phase of the Napoleonic Wars). After the Battle of Waterloo, Ghent and Flanders, previously ruled from the Habsburgs, House of Habsburg in Vienna as the Austrian Netherlands, became a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands with the northern Dutch for 15 years. In this period, Ghent established its own Ghent University, university (1816)Ghent over the centuries: Concise history of a stubborn city
/ref> and a Ghent–Terneuzen Canal, new connection to the sea (1824–27).

After the Belgian Revolution, with the loss of port access to the sea for more than a decade, the local economy collapsed, and the first Belgian trade union originated in Ghent. In 1913 there was a Exposition universelle et internationale (1913), world exhibition in Ghent. As a preparation for these festivities, the Sint-Pieters railway station was completed in 1912.

20th century

Ghent was occupied by the Germans in both World Wars but escaped severe destruction. The life of the people and the German invaders in Ghent during World War I is described by H. Wandt in "etappenleven te Gent". In World War II the city was liberated by the British 7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom), 7th "Desert Rats" Armoured Division and local Belgian fighters on 6 September 1944, with the northern suburbs and the industrial area cleared over the following days by the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division.

Geography

After the fusions of municipalities in 1965 and 1977, the city is made up of:

*I Ghent
*II Mariakerke (East Flanders), Mariakerke
*III Drongen
*IV Wondelgem
*V Sint-Amandsberg
*VI Oostakker
*VII Desteldonk
*VIII Mendonk
*IX Sint-Kruis-Winkel
*X Ledeberg
*XI Gentbrugge
*XII Afsnee
*XIII Sint-Denijs-Westrem
*XIV Zwijnaarde

Neighbouring municipalities

* Wachtebeke
* Lochristi
* Destelbergen
* Melle, Belgium, Melle
* Merelbeke
* De Pinte
* Sint-Martens-Latem
* Deinze
* Nevele
* Lovendegem
* Evergem
* Zelzate

Climate

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ghent has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

Nationalities

Ghent is home to many people of foreign origin and immigrants. The 2020 census revealed that 35.5% of the inhabitants had roots outside of Belgium and 15.3% had a non-Belgian nationality. Many neighbourhoods already have a minority-majority population, primarily in the north, east, and west of the city and some pockets in the south. Some examples are Brugse Poort, Dampoort, Rabot, Ledeberg, Nieuw Gent/UZ and the area around Sleepstraat (known for its many Turkish restaurants).

Tourism

Architecture

Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is a Pedestrian zone, carfree area. Highlights are the Saint Bavo Cathedral with the ''Ghent Altarpiece'', the belfry of Ghent, belfry, the Gravensteen castle, and the splendid architecture along the old Graslei harbour. Ghent has established a blend between comfort of living and history; it is not a city-museum. The city of Ghent also houses three béguinages and numerous churches including Saint-Jacob's church, Saint Nicholas' Church, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas' church, Saint Michael's church (Ghent), Saint Michael's church and St. Stefanus, Ghent, St. Stefanus.

In the 19th century Ghent's most famous architect, Louis Roelandt, built the university hall Aula, the opera house, and the main courthouse. Highlights of modern architecture are the university buildings (the ''Boekentoren'' or Book Tower) by Henry Van de Velde. There are also a few theatres from diverse periods.

The beguinages, as well as the belfry and adjacent cloth hall, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1998 and 1999.

The Zebrastraat, a social experiment in which an entirely renovated site unites living, economy, and culture, can also be found in Ghent.

Campo Santo, Ghent, Campo Santo is a famous Catholic burial site of the nobility and artists.

One of the more notable pieces of contemporary architecture in Ghent is De Krook, the new central library and media center, a collaboration between local firm Coussée and Goris and Catalan firm RCR Arquitectos.

Museums

Important museums in Ghent are the Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts), with paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Peter Paul Rubens, and many Flemish masters; the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, SMAK or Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (City Museum for Contemporary Art), with works of the 20th century, including Joseph Beuys and Andy Warhol; and the Design Museum Gent with masterpieces of Victor Horta and Le Corbusier. The Huis van Alijn (House of the Alijn family) was originally a beguinage and is now a museum for folk art where theatre and puppet shows for children are presented. The ''Museum voor Industriële Archeologie en Textiel'' or MIAT displays the industrial strength of Ghent with recreations of workshops and stores from the 1800s and original spinning and weaving machines that remain from the time when the building was a weaving mill. The Ghent City Museum (Stadsmuseum, abbreviated STAM), is committed to recording and explaining the city's past and its inhabitants, and to preserving the present for future generations.

Restaurants and culinary traditions

In Ghent and other regions of East Flanders, bakeries sell a donut-shaped bun called a "mastel" (plural "mastellen"), which is basically a bagel. "Mastellen" are also called "Saint Hubert bread", because, on the Saint's feast day, which is 3 November, the bakers bring their batches to the early Mass to be blessed. Traditionally, it was thought that blessed mastellen immunized against rabies.

Other local delicacies are the praline chocolates from local producers such as Leonidas (chocolate), Leonidas, the cuberdons or 'neuzekes' ('noses'), cone-shaped purple jelly-filled candies, 'babelutten' ('babblers'), hard butterscotch-like candy, and of course, on the more fiery side, the famous 'Tierenteyn', a hot but refined mustard that has some affinity to French 'Dijon' mustard.

Carbonade flamande, Stoverij is a classic Flemish meat stew, preferably made with a generous addition of brown Trappist beer, 'Trappist' (strong abbey beer) and served with French fries. 'Waterzooi' is a local stew originally made from freshwater fish caught in the rivers and creeks of Ghent, but nowadays often made with chicken instead of fish. It is usually served nouvelle-cuisine-style and supplemented by a large pot on the side.

The city promotes a meat-free day on Thursdays called ''Donderdag Veggiedag'' with vegetarian food being promoted in public canteens for civil servants and elected councillors, in all city-funded schools, and promotion of vegetarian eating options in town (through the distribution of "veggie street maps"). This campaign is linked to the recognition of the Environmental effects of meat production#Fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, detrimental environmental effects of meat production, which the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has established to represent nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The traditional confectionery is th
cuberdon
(also known as neuzekes or little noses). These are conical sweets with a soft centre, usually raspberry but other flavours can be found on the many street stalls around the city. Between 2011 and 2015 a feud between two local vendors made international news.

Festivities

The city is host to some big cultural events such as the Gentse Feesten, the Flanders International Film Festival Ghent, International Film Festival of Ghent (with the World Soundtrack Awards) and the . Also, every five years, an extensive botanical exhibition (''Gentse Floraliën'') takes place in Flanders Expo in Ghent, attracting numerous visitors to the city.

The Gentse Feesten is an annual festival that lasts for ten days. It has been held for more than 50 years (since 1969), but has not taken place in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being held again in the summer of 2022.

The Festival of Flanders had its 50th celebration in 2008. In Ghent, it opens with the OdeGand City festivities that take place on the second Saturday of September. Some 50 concerts take place in diverse locations throughout the medieval inner city and some 250 international artists perform..

The city of Ghent will co-host the 2021 World Choir Games together with the city of Antwerp. Organised by the Interkultur Foundation, the World Choir Games is the biggest choral competition and festival in the world.

Nature

The numerous parks in the city can also be considered tourist attractions. Most notably, Ghent boasts a nature reserve (Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, 230 hectare (570 acre)) and a recreation park (Blaarmeersen, 87 hectares; 215 acres).

Economy

The port of Ghent, in the north of the city, is the third-largest port of Belgium. It is accessed by the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal, which ends near the Netherlands, Dutch port of Terneuzen on the Western Scheldt. The port houses, among others, large companies like ArcelorMittal, Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Parts, Honda, and Stora Enso.

The Ghent University and several research-oriented companies, such as Ablynx, Innogenetics, Cropdesign, and Bayer Cropscience, are situated in the central and southern part of the city.

As the largest city in East Flanders, Ghent has many hospitals, schools, and shopping streets. Flanders Expo, the biggest event hall in Flanders and the second biggest in Belgium, is also located in Ghent. Tourism is becoming a major employer in the local area.

Transport

As one of the largest cities in Belgium, Ghent has a highly developed transport system.

Road

By car the city is accessible via two motorways:
*The European route E40, E40 connects Ghent with Bruges and Ostend to the west, and with Brussels, Leuven and Liège to the east.
*The European route E17, E17 connects Ghent with Sint-Niklaas and Antwerp to the north, and with Kortrijk and Lille to the south.

In addition, Ghent also has two ringways:
*The R4 connects the outskirts of Ghent with each other and the surrounding villages, and also leads to the European route E40, E40 and European route E17, E17 roads.
*The R40 connects the different downtown quarters with each other and provides access to the main avenues.

Rail

The municipality of Ghent comprises five railway stations:
*Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station, Gent-Sint-Pieters Station: an international railway station with connections to Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, Kortrijk, other Belgian towns, and Lille. The station also offers a direct connection to Brussels Airport.
*Gent-Dampoort railway station, Gent-Dampoort Station: an intercity railway station with connections to Sint-Niklaas, Antwerp, Kortrijk and Eeklo.
*Gentbrugge Station: a regional railway station in between the two main railway stations, Sint-Pieters and Dampoort.
*Wondelgem Station: a regional railway station with connections to Eeklo once an hour.
*Drongen Station: a regional railway station in the village of Drongen with connections to Bruges once an hour.
*Gent-Zeehaven station: a regional railway station in the port of Ghent with connections to Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station, Gent-Sint-Pieters Station and the town of Terneuzen in Netherlands, The Netherlands.

Public transport

Ghent has an extensive network of public transport lines, operated by ''De Lijn''.

Trams

*Line 1: Flanders Expo – Sint-Pieters-Station – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Wondelgem – Evergem
*Line 2: Zwijnaarde Bibliotheek – Sint-Pieters-Station – Zonnestraat (city centre) – Brabantdam – Zuid – Melle, Belgium, Melle Leeuw (fuse of line 21 and 22 as of May 2017)
*Line 4: UZ – Sint-Pieters-Station – Muide – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Zuid – Moscou (Ghent), Moscou
*Line 21: Zwijnaarde Bibliotheek – Sint-Pieters-Station – Zonnestraat (city centre) – Zuid – Melle, Belgium, Melle Leeuw (fused into line 2)
*Line 22: Kouter – Bijlokehof – Sint-Pieters-Station – Zonnestraat (city centre) – Zuid – Gentbrugge (fused into line 2)

Buses

*Line 3: Mariakerke (East Flanders), Mariakerke – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort – Gentbrugge (formerly a trolleybus line; see picture below)
*Line 5: Van Beverenplein – Sint-Jacobs (city centre) – Zuid – Heuvelpoort – Nieuw-Gent
*Line 6: Watersportbaan – Zuid – Dampoort – Meulestede – Wondelgem – Mariakerke
*Line 8: AZ Sint-Lucas – Sint-Jacobs (city centre) – Zuid – Heuvelpoort – Arteveldepark
*Line 9: Mariakerke – Malem, Ghent, Malem – Sint-Pieters-Station – Ledeberg – Gentbrugge
*Line 17/18: Drongen – Malem – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort – Oostakker
*Line 38/39: Blaarmeersen – Ekkergem – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort – Sint-Amandsberg

Apart from the city buses mentioned above, Ghent also has numerous regional bus lines connecting it to towns and villages across the province of East Flanders. All of these buses stop in at least one of the city's regional bus hubs at either Sint-Pieters Station, Dampoort Station, Zuid or Rabot.

International buses connecting Ghent to other European destinations are usually found at the Dampoort Station. A couple of private bus companies such as Eurolines, Megabus and Flixbus operate from the Dampoort bus hub.

Buses to and from Belgium's first (Brussels Airport) and second airport (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) are operated by Flibco, and can be found at the rear exit of the Sint-Pieters Station.

Cycling

Ghent has the largest designated cyclist area in Europe, with nearly of cycle paths and more than 700 one-way streets, where bikes are allowed to go against the traffic. It also boasts Belgium's first bicycle boulevard, where cars are considered 'guests' and must stay behind cyclists. In 2013 it began doing on-street surveys of bicycles, adding bicycle parking racks in neighbourhoods where they were needed. In 2017 the city changed traffic circulation patterns to favour cycling. The switch was done over the course of a single weekend, changing traffic circulation on over 80 streets and 2500 road signs. It expanded the car-free zone in the historic city center more than twofold. It also put in radial barriers to car traffic, thus shifting it onto the inner ring road.

More cyclists means a higher demand for bicycle parking stations. In 2010, the plans to renovate Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station, included 10,000 bicycle parking spots. In 2020 several sections of the underground parking facilities have been built, and the targets have been adjusted to a total of 17,000 parking spots.

Sports

In the Belgian First Division, Belgian first football division Ghent is represented by K.A.A. Gent, who became Belgian football champions for the first time in its history in 2015. Another Ghent football club is KRC Gent-Zeehaven, playing in the Belgian fourth division. A football match at the 1920 Summer Olympics was held in Ghent.

The Six Days of Ghent, a Six-day racing, six-day track cycling race, is held annually, taking place in the Kuipke velodrome in Ghent. In road cycling, the city hosts the start and finish of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the traditional opening race of the cobbled classics season. It also lends its name to another cobbled classic, Gent–Wevelgem, although the race now starts in the nearby city of Deinze.

The city hosts an annual athletics (sport), athletics IAAF event in the Flanders Sports Arena: the Indoor Flanders meeting where two-time Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj set an indoor List of world records in athletics, world record of 3:48.45 in the mile run in 1997.

The Flanders Sports Arena was host to the 2015 Davis cup, Davis Cup Final between Belgium Davis Cup Team, Belgium and British Davis Cup Team, Great Britain.

Notable people

* Frans Ackerman (ca.1330–1387), Flemish statesmen and military leader.
* Charlotte Adigéry, (born ca.1995) Belgian-Caribbean musician
* Alexander Agricola, (ca.1445–1506) Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance
* Leo Baekeland, (1863–1944) chemist and inventor of Bakelite
* Saint Bavo, (589–654) patron saint of Ghent
* Marthe Boël, (1877–1956) feminist
* Josse Boutmy, (1697–1779) composer, organist and harpsichordist
* Cornelius Canis, (ca.1505–1562) composer, music director for the chapel of Charles V
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, (1500–1558) ''Karel V, Charles Quint''.
* Willy De Clercq, (1927–2011) liberal politician and European Commissioner
* Caspar de Crayer, (1582–1669) painter
* Pedro de Gante, (ca.1480–1572) Franciscan missionary in Mexico
* Frans de Potter, (1834–1904) writer
* Emma De Vigne, (1850–98) painter
* Paul de Vigne, (1843–1901) sculptor.
* De Vriendt brothers Juliaan Joseph (1842–1935) & Albrecht François Lieven (1843–1900) painters.
* Charlotte de Witte, (born 1992) DJ and record producer
* Joseph Guislain, (1797–1860) physician
* Daniel Heinsius, (1580–1655) scholar of the Dutch Renaissance.
* Henry of Ghent, (ca.1217–1293) Scholasticism, scholastic philosopher.
* Corneille Jean François Heymans, (1892–1968) physiologist and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
* Victor Horta, (1861–1947) Art Nouveau architect
* John of Gaunt, (1340–1399) English royal prince, military leader and statesman.
* Suzanne Lilar, (1901–1992) essayist, novelist, and playwright
* Saint Livinus of Ghent, (580–657) saint and martyr
* Louis XVIII of France, (1755–1824) was exiled in Ghent in 1815 during the Hundred Days.
* Pierre Louÿs, (1870–1925) poet and romantic writer
* Maurice Maeterlinck, (1862–1949) poet & playwright, won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
* Hippolyte Metdepenningen, (1799–1881) lawyer and politician
* Gerard Mortier, (born 1943) Belgian opera director
* Jacob Obrecht, (ca.1457–1505) composer of the Renaissance
* Adolphe Quetelet (1796–1874) astronomer, mathematician, statistician and sociologist.
* Frans Rens, (1805–1874) writer
* Gabriel Ríos, (born 1978) musician
* Charles John Seghers, (1839–1886) Jesuit clergyman and missionary
* Soulwax, (formed 1995) electronic/rock band headed by David and Stephen Dewaele
* Jacob van Artevelde, (ca.1290–1345) statesman and political leader.
* Gustave Van de Woestijne, (1881–1947) painter
* Karel van de Woestijne, (1878–1929) writer
* Hugo van der Goes, (ca.1440–1482) painter.
* Jan van Eyck, (ca.1385–1441) painter.
* Geo Verbanck, (1881-1961) sculptor
* Jan Frans Willems, (1793–1846) writer.

Sport

* Tiesj Benoot, (born 1994) cyclist
* Kevin De Bruyne, (born 1991) professional footballer
* Xavier Henry, (born 1991) shooting guard/small forward for the National Basketball Association, NBA's Los Angeles Lakers
* Gaelle Mys, (born 1991) Olympic gymnast
* Jacques Rogge, (1942-2021) former president of the International Olympic Committee, IOC
* Patrick Sercu, (1944-2019) Belgian track cyclist
* Cédric Van Branteghem, (born 1979) athlete
* Bradley Wiggins, (born 1980) British cyclist

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Ghent is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:

Gallery

File:Sint-Baafskathedraal_(St._Bavo's_Cathedral)_Ghent_Belgium_October.jpg, St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, St Bavo's Cathedral
File:Gent, de Sint-Niklaaskerk oeg25149 IMG 0686 2021-08-15 10.40.jpg, The Sint-Niklaaskerk
File:Belfry_of_Ghent_(DSCF0247,DSCF0249).jpg, Belfry of Ghent, Belfry
File:Oud_Postkantoor,_Ghent_(DSCF0257-DSCF0261).jpg, Old Post Office on Korenmarkt, Ghent, Korenmarkt Square
File:25890_Gravensteen_bij_zonsondergang_vanuit_de_Sint-Widostraat.jpg, Gravensteen, Gravensteen Castle
File:Graslei_gent_avondlicht.jpg, Graslei, Graslei Quay
File:Gent, de Korenlei met oeg25136-40 vanaf de Graslei IMG 0592 2021-08-15 09.12.jpg, Korenlei
File:Gent, De Lingtworm en Krocht oeg25148 IMG 0609 2021-08-15 09.27.jpg, De Lingtworm en Krocht
File:Gent_Veerleplein_006.JPG, Entrance gate of ''Oude Vismijn'' ("Old Fish Market")
File:Het_Rabot_03.jpg, The Rabot Gate
File:Gent, Volkshuis Ons Huis oeg26052 op de Vrijdagmarkt IMG 0697 2021-08-15 11.29.jpg, Volkshuis Ons Huis at the Vrijdagmarkt
File:Jacob_van_Artevelde_2015.jpg, Vrijdagmarkt Square with statue of Jacob van Artevelde
File:Gent, standbeeld Lieven Bauwens IMG 0647 2021-08-15 10.11.jpg, Statue Lieven Bauwens
File:Gent, Geeraard de Duivelsteen oeg24673 IMG 0656 2021-08-15 10.18.jpg, Monumentaal house: Geeraard de Duivelsteen
File:Vooruitvoorgevel.JPG, Vooruit, Vooruit Arts Center
File:Hotel_d'Hane-Steenhuyse_-_225133_-_onroerenderfgoed.jpg, City palace Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse
File:Gent_Gandastraat_Zonder_Nummer_Abdij_-_23169_-_onroerenderfgoed.jpg, Ruins of Saint Bavo's Abbey
File:Gent, hoekhuis Hippoliet Lippensplein 25 (oeg19000) op kruispunt Vlaanderenstraat-Brabantdam IMG 0628 2021-08-15 09.51.jpg, Corner house Hippoliet Lippensplein 25
File:Gent, Groot Kanon oeg200796 IMG 0750 2021-08-15 14.09.jpg, Monument: Groot Kanon
File:Gent, de Augustijnenkaai IMG 0766 2021-08-15 15.05.jpg, Street view: the Augustijnenkaai
File:Cuberdon_-_De_echte_Gentse_neuzen.jpg, Cuberdon: A popular local delicacy

See also

* List of Mayors of Ghent
* Port of Ghent

References

Further reading

External links

*

Official Tourist website


Flanders Tourism Website

{{Authority control

Ghent,
Municipalities of East Flanders
Port cities and towns in Belgium
Provincial capitals of Flanders