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Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a 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 Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
. It is a port and 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 Desteldonk is a village in the municipality of Ghent in the Belgian province of East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaand ...
,
Drongen Drongen ( French: ''Tronchiennes'') is a district within the city of Ghent (Arrondissement of Ghent). Drongen is divided into three parishes: Drongen, Luchteren and Baarle, East Flanders, Baarle. Monastery Drongen is known for its early medieval ...
, Gentbrugge,
Ledeberg Ledeberg is a submunicipality of the city of Ghent. It lies south-east of downtown Ghent and has direct access to the E17 road. Its population is 13,974 inhabitants (2005). Notable people *Jean Fonteyne Jean Fonteyne (1899–1974) was a B ...
, Mariakerke,
Mendonk Mendonk is a village in the Belgian Province of East Flanders, a part of the urban area of the province's capital city Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region o ...
,
Oostakker Oostakker (), formerly spelled Oostacker, is one of the smaller former municipalities which were merged into Ghent (from which it is only two miles), the capital of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The hamlet is mainly known for the Shrine o ...
,
Sint-Amandsberg Sint-Amandsberg is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium. The municipality was formed in 1872 after splitting from Oostakker. It is served by the Bus and train station of Gent Dampoort on the Ghent Antwerp NMBS/SNCB line. During the First Wor ...
, Sint-Denijs-Westrem,
Sint-Kruis-Winkel Sint-Kruis-Winkel is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germ ...
, 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 area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
, 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 mayor of Ghent,
Mathias De Clercq Mathias Toon Cecil Willy De Clercq, Jonkheer, esq. (born 26 December 1981, Ghent) is a Belgians, Belgian politician. He is a member of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats, Flemish liberal party. At the moment he is the List of mayors of Ghen ...
is from the liberal & democratic party Open VLD. The ten-day-long Ghent Festival (''
Gentse Feesten The Gentse Feesten (; In Ghent dialect Gense Fieste "The Ghent Festival") is a music and theatre festival in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Besides stage events there are street acts such as mimes and buskers. The festival starts on the Friday before ...
'' 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 The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
and the Iron Age. Most historians believe that the older name for Ghent, 'Ganda', is derived from the
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...
word ''ganda'', which means
confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
. Other sources connect its name with an obscure deity named Gontia. There are no written records of the 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 ( Blandinium) and
Saint Bavo's Abbey Saint Bavo's Abbey ( nl, Sint-Baafsabdij) is a former abbey in the currently Belgian city of Ghent. It was founded in the 7th century by Saint Amand, who also founded Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent, near the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. ...
. Around 800, Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, appointed
Einhard Einhard (also Eginhard or Einhart; la, E(g)inhardus; 775 – 14 March 840) was a Frankish scholar and courtier. Einhard was a dedicated servant of Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious; his main work is a biography of Charlemagne, the ''Vita ...
, 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 and the towers of the Saint Bavo Cathedral and 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 water-meadow (also water meadow or watermeadow) is an area of grassland subject to controlled irrigation to increase agricultural productivity. Water-meadows were mainly used in Europe from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. Working water-m ...
": 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 industry Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. As an ...
, 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 and England. Ghent was the birthplace of
John of Gaunt John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399) was an English royal prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the fourth son (third to survive infancy as William of Hatfield died shortly after birth) of King Edward ...
, Duke of Lancaster. Trade with England (but not Scotland) suffered significantly during the
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
.


Early modern period

The city recovered in the 15th century when Flanders was united with neighbouring provinces under the Dukes of Burgundy. High taxes led to a rebellion and eventually the
Battle of Gavere The Battle of Gavere was fought at Semmerzake, near Gavere, in the County of Flanders (modern-day Belgium) on 23 July 1453, between the army of Philip the Good of Burgundy and the rebelling city of Ghent. The battle ended the Revolt of Ghent with ...
in 1453, in which Ghent suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of
Philip the Good Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonge ...
. Around this time the centre of political and social importance in the Low Countries started to shift from Flanders (Bruges–Ghent) to
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to: Place names in Europe * London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany Belgium * Province of Bra ...
(
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
Brussels), although Ghent continued to play an important role. With Bruges, the city led two 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, who became
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
and King of Spain. Although native to Ghent, he punished the city after the 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 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 Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Refo ...
. The war ended the role of Ghent as a centre of international importance. In 1745, the city was captured by French forces during the War of the Austrian Succession before being returned to the Empire of Austria under the House of Habsburg following the 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 I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, 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 Lieven Bauwens (14 June 1769, in Ghent – 17 March 1822, in Paris) was a Belgian entrepreneur and industrial spy who was sent to Great Britain at a young age and brought a spinning mule and skilled workers to the European continent. He starte ...
, having smuggled the
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
and factory machine plans out of England, introduced the first mechanical
weaving machine The Jacquard machine () is a device fitted to a loom that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with such complex patterns as brocade, damask and matelassé. The resulting ensemble of the loom and Jacquard machine is then called a Ja ...
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 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 university (1816)Ghent over the centuries: Concise history of a stubborn city
/ref> and a new connection to the sea (1824–27). After the
Belgian Revolution The Belgian Revolution (, ) was the conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium. T ...
, 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 world exhibition in Ghent. As a preparation for these festivities, the
Sint-Pieters railway station Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station ( nl, Station Gent-Sint-Pieters, french: Gare de Gand-Saint-Pierre), officially Gent-Sint-Pieters, is the main railway station in Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium, and the fourth-busiest in Belgium and busiest in Fl ...
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 "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 The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that served during the Second World War. It was raised on 2 September 1939, the day before war was declared, as part of the Territorial Army (TA) and served in ...
.


Geography

After the fusions of municipalities in 1965 and 1977, the city is made up of: *I Ghent *II Mariakerke *III
Drongen Drongen ( French: ''Tronchiennes'') is a district within the city of Ghent (Arrondissement of Ghent). Drongen is divided into three parishes: Drongen, Luchteren and Baarle, East Flanders, Baarle. Monastery Drongen is known for its early medieval ...
*IV Wondelgem *V
Sint-Amandsberg Sint-Amandsberg is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium. The municipality was formed in 1872 after splitting from Oostakker. It is served by the Bus and train station of Gent Dampoort on the Ghent Antwerp NMBS/SNCB line. During the First Wor ...
*VI
Oostakker Oostakker (), formerly spelled Oostacker, is one of the smaller former municipalities which were merged into Ghent (from which it is only two miles), the capital of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The hamlet is mainly known for the Shrine o ...
*VII
Desteldonk Desteldonk is a village in the municipality of Ghent in the Belgian province of East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaand ...
*VIII
Mendonk Mendonk is a village in the Belgian Province of East Flanders, a part of the urban area of the province's capital city Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region o ...
*IX
Sint-Kruis-Winkel Sint-Kruis-Winkel is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germ ...
*X
Ledeberg Ledeberg is a submunicipality of the city of Ghent. It lies south-east of downtown Ghent and has direct access to the E17 road. Its population is 13,974 inhabitants (2005). Notable people *Jean Fonteyne Jean Fonteyne (1899–1974) was a B ...
*XI Gentbrugge *XII Afsnee *XIII Sint-Denijs-Westrem *XIV Zwijnaarde


Neighbouring municipalities

*
Wachtebeke Wachtebeke () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Wachtebeke proper, and a smaller town: Overslag. In 2021, Wachtebeke had a total population of 7.769. The total area is 34.53 ...
* Lochristi * Destelbergen * 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 carfree area. Highlights are the Saint Bavo Cathedral with the '' Ghent Altarpiece'', the belfry, the
Gravensteen castle The Gravensteen (Dutch; literally "Castle of the Counts") is a medieval castle at Ghent, East Flanders in Belgium. The current castle dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. It was subsequently re-purposed as a c ...
, 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
béguinage A beguinage, from the French term ''béguinage'', is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Originally the beguine institution was ...
s and numerous churches including Saint-Jacob's church, Saint-Nicolas' church, Saint Michael's church and St. Stefanus. In the 19th century Ghent's most famous architect,
Louis Roelandt Louis Roelandt or ''Lodewijk Joseph Adriaan Roelandt'' with his full Dutch name, was a Belgian architect that played an important role in the evolution of Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Classical architecture in Belgium. During the period that Belg ...
, 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 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 voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts), with paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Peter Paul Rubens, and many Flemish masters; the 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 Design Museum Gent is a museum in Belgium with an international design collection. The museum complex is located in the tourist centre of Ghent and comprises an 18th-century mansion and a modern wing. The museum holds a collection of Belgian desig ...
with masterpieces of Victor Horta and
Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , , ), was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture. He was ...
. The
Huis van Alijn The Huis van Alijn (Dutch for: ''Alijn Hospital'', literally ''House of Alijn'') is a museum located on the Kraanlei in Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region ...
(House of the Alijn family) was originally a
beguinage A beguinage, from the French term ''béguinage'', is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Originally the beguine institution was ...
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 The Ghent City Museum (in Dutch "Stadsmuseum Gent", "STAM" in short) is a museum in the Belgian city of Ghent. The museum exposes the city history and opened its doors on 9 October 2010. With respect to the collection that is shown, the history of ...
(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, the
cuberdon A cuberdon is a cone-shaped Belgian candy and a popular local delicacy in Ghent. In Dutch it is also known as a ("nose"), ("Ghent nose"), or ("little nose") for its likeness to a human nose. In French, cuberdons are also called and (priest ...
s 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. Stoverij is a classic Flemish meat stew, preferably made with a generous addition of brown 'Trappist' (strong abbey beer) and served with French fries. '
Waterzooi Waterzooi is a stew dish from Belgium and originating in Flanders. The second part of the name derives from the Middle Dutch terms ''sode'', ''zo(o)de ''and ''soot'', words referring to the act of boiling or the ingredients being boiled.''van Da ...
' 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 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 Gentse Feesten (; In Ghent dialect Gense Fieste "The Ghent Festival") is a music and theatre festival in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Besides stage events there are street acts such as mimes and buskers. The festival starts on the Friday before ...
, the 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 The Gentse Feesten (; In Ghent dialect Gense Fieste "The Ghent Festival") is a music and theatre festival in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Besides stage events there are street acts such as mimes and buskers. The festival starts on the Friday before ...
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 Festival of Flanders ( nl, Festival van Vlaanderen) is an annual music event at different locations in Flanders. It started initially as a "Summer Festival", but now its activities are spread from January to May, with a peak in late summer and earl ...
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 Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
. 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 Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen is a nature reserve on the outskirts of the Belgian city of Ghent. It lies mainly in the district of Mariakerke and covers 230 hectares. It mostly consists of wet, often flooded, meadows interspersed with ditches and canals, ...
, 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 Dutch port of
Terneuzen Terneuzen () is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With almost 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland. History First mentione ...
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 E40 connects Ghent with Bruges and Ostend to the west, and with Brussels,
Leuven Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic ...
and
Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
to the east. *The E17 connects Ghent with
Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas (; french: Saint-Nicolas, ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and . Sint-Nikl ...
and
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
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 E40 and 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 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 Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
. * 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 Drongen ( French: ''Tronchiennes'') is a district within the city of Ghent (Arrondissement of Ghent). Drongen is divided into three parishes: Drongen, Luchteren and Baarle, East Flanders, Baarle. Monastery Drongen is known for its early medieval ...
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 Station and the town of
Terneuzen Terneuzen () is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With almost 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland. History First mentione ...
in 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 Leeuw (fuse of line 21 and 22 as of May 2017) *Line 4: UZ – Sint-Pieters-Station – Muide – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Zuid –
Moscou Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million r ...
*Line 21: Zwijnaarde Bibliotheek – Sint-Pieters-Station – Zonnestraat (city centre) – Zuid – 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 – 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 – Sint-Pieters-Station – Ledeberg – Gentbrugge *Line 17/18: Drongen – Malem – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort –
Oostakker Oostakker (), formerly spelled Oostacker, is one of the smaller former municipalities which were merged into Ghent (from which it is only two miles), the capital of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The hamlet is mainly known for the Shrine o ...
*Line 38/39: Blaarmeersen – Ekkergem – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort –
Sint-Amandsberg Sint-Amandsberg is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium. The municipality was formed in 1872 after splitting from Oostakker. It is served by the Bus and train station of Gent Dampoort on the Ghent Antwerp NMBS/SNCB line. During the First Wor ...
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 Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
) and second airport (
Brussels South Charleroi Airport Brussels South Charleroi Airport, nl, Luchthaven Zuid-Brussel Charleroi, german: Flughafen Brüssel-Charleroi (BSCA), also unofficially called Brussels-Charleroi Airport, Charleroi Airport or rarely ''Gosselies Airport'', is an internationa ...
) 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 football division Ghent is represented by
K.A.A. Gent Koninklijke Atletiek Associatie Gent (, English: ''Royal Athletic Association Ghent''), often simply known as Ghent or by their nickname ' ( en, The Buffalos), is a Belgian sports club, based in the city of Ghent, East Flanders. Their football ...
, who became Belgian football champions for the first time in its history in 2015. Another Ghent football club is
KRC Gent-Zeehaven Koninklijke Racing Club Gent is a Belgian association football club from the city of Ghent, East Flanders. It is currently playing in the Promotion A, i.e. the fourth level in the Belgian football league system. The club underwent 5 merges a ...
, playing in the Belgian fourth division. A football match at the
1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...
was held in Ghent. The
Six Days of Ghent The Six Days of Ghent ( nl, Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent) is a six-day track cycling race held annually in Ghent, Belgium. It takes place in the Kuipke velodrome in Ghent's ''Citadelpark''. The 2006 event from 21 November to 26 November was marred ...
, a six-day track cycling race, is held annually, taking place in the
Kuipke Kuipke or Citadel Park Velodrome is an indoor velodrome in Ghent, Belgium. It opened in 1927 and was rebuilt after a fire in 1965. It is best known from the Six Days of Ghent, held annually in November. The velodrome is also used as an event hal ...
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
IAAF World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...
event in the
Flanders Sports Arena The Flanders Sports Arena ( nl, Topsporthal Vlaanderen) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Ghent, Belgium. Opened in 2000, the Flanders Sports Arena can hold up to 5,000 people in sporting events. It was realized through a public-private partne ...
: the
Indoor Flanders meeting The Indoor Flanders meeting was an annual indoor track and field meeting which took place at the Flanders Sports Arena in Ghent, Belgium. It was one of foremost meetings on the indoor European circuit and one of nine events which hold IAAF Indoor ...
where two-time Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj set an indoor world record of 3:48.45 in the mile run in 1997. The Flanders Sports Arena was host to the 2015
Davis Cup The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format. It is described by the organis ...
Final between Belgium and Great Britain.


Notable people

*
Frans Ackerman Frans Ackerman (–1387), Latinised Franciscus Agricola, was one of the most famous Flemish statesmen and military leaders of the 14th century. Life Ackerman was born in Ghent. Rallying to Philip van Artevelde in the Ghent Revolt of 1379 again ...
(ca.1330–1387), Flemish statesmen and military leader. *
Charlotte Adigéry Charlotte Adigéry, also known as WWWater, is a Belgian musician. Early life and education Adigéry was born in France and grew up in Ghent, Belgium. Her mother was Jewish, born in France. She is of Martinican and Guadeloupian descent. Her fami ...
, (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 Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, better known as Bakelite ( ), is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed ...
*
Saint Bavo Saint Bavo of Ghent (also known as Bavon, Allowin, Bavonius, Baaf; AD 622–659) is a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint. He was the son of Pepin of Landen and the brother of saints Begga and Gertrude of Nivelles. Life Bavo was born n ...
, (589–654) patron saint of Ghent *
Marthe Boël Marthe Boël (; Ghent, 3 July 1877 – 18 January 1956) was a Belgian feminist. She was the third daughter of the liberal senator Count Oswald de Kerchove de Denterghem and Maria Lippens, daughter of August Lippens. Biography She studied in ...
, (1877–1956) feminist * Josse Boutmy, (1697–1779) composer, organist and harpsichordist *
Cornelius Canis Cornelius Canis (also de Hondt, d'Hondt) (between 1500 and 1510 – 15 February 1562) was a Franco-Flemish composer, singer, and choir director of the Renaissance, active for much of his life in the ''Grande Chapelle'', the imperial Habsburg music ...
, (ca.1505–1562) composer, music director for the chapel of Charles V *
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (Crown of Castile, Castil ...
, (1500–1558) ''Karel V, Charles Quint''. * Willy De Clercq, (1927–2011) liberal politician and European Commissioner *
Caspar de Crayer Gaspar de Crayer or Jasper de CrayerName variations: Caspar de Crayer and Gaspard de Crayer (18 November 1584 – 27 January 1669) was a Flemish painter known for his many Counter-Reformation altarpieces and portraits. He was a court painter ...
, (1582–1669) painter *
Pedro de Gante Fray Pieter van der Moere, also known as Fray Pedro de Gante or Pedro de Mura (c. 1480 – 1572) was a Franciscan missionary in sixteenth century Mexico. Born in Geraardsbergen in present-day Belgium, he was of Flemish descent. Since Flanders, li ...
, (ca.1480–1572) Franciscan missionary in Mexico *
Frans de Potter Frans de Potter (4 January 1834, Ghent – 15 August 1904) was a Belgian writer in the Dutch language. He was Chief Clerk of the ''Fondsenblad'' of Ghent, and from 1886 onwards secretary of the ''Flemish Academy''. He wrote an extensive oeuvre, ...
, (1834–1904) writer *
Emma De Vigne Emma De Vigne (30 January 1850 - 3 June 1898) was a Belgian still life and portrait painter, who came from a family of artists from Ghent. Her paintings were exhibited in Europe, as well as in South America. Biography De Vigne was born on 30 J ...
, (1850–98) painter * Paul de Vigne, (1843–1901) sculptor. *
De Vriendt brothers The De Vriendt brothers, Juliaan Joseph (1842–1935) and Albrecht François Lieven (1843–1900), were Belgian painters, both born at Ghent, sons of a decorative painter. Biography The two brothers were close friends, and their works show marke ...
Juliaan Joseph (1842–1935) & Albrecht François Lieven (1843–1900) painters. * Charlotte de Witte, (born 1992) DJ and record producer *
Joseph Guislain Joseph Guislain (Ghent, 2 February 1797 – Ghent, 1 April 1860) was a Belgian physician and a pioneer in psychiatry. Education Guislain started his medical studies at Ecole de Médicine and he was one of the first students to the University of Gh ...
, (1797–1860) physician * Daniel Heinsius, (1580–1655) scholar of the Dutch Renaissance. * Henry of Ghent, (ca.1217–1293) scholastic philosopher. *
Corneille Jean François Heymans Corneille Jean François Heymans (28 March 1892 – 18 July 1968) was a Belgian physiologist. He studied at the Jesuit College of Saint Barbara and then at Ghent University, where he obtained a doctor's degree in 1920. Heymans won the Nobel Pri ...
, (1892–1968) physiologist and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine * Victor Horta, (1861–1947)
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
architect *
John of Gaunt John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399) was an English royal prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the fourth son (third to survive infancy as William of Hatfield died shortly after birth) of King Edward ...
, (1340–1399) English royal prince, military leader and statesman. *
Suzanne Lilar Baroness Suzanne Lilar (née ''Suzanne Verbist''; 21 May 1901 – 11 December 1992) was a Flemish Belgian essayist, novelist, and playwright writing in French. She was the wife of the Belgian Minister of Justice Albert Lilar and mother of the ...
, (1901–1992) essayist, novelist, and playwright *
Saint Livinus Saint Livinus (''c''. 580 – 12 November 657), also Livinus of Ghent, was an apostle in Flanders and Brabant, venerated as a saint and martyr in Catholic tradition and more especially at the Saint Bavo Chapel, Ghent. His feast day is 12 Novemb ...
of Ghent, (580–657) saint and martyr * Louis XVIII of France, (1755–1824) was exiled in Ghent in 1815 during the
Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...
. * Pierre Louÿs, (1870–1925) poet and romantic writer * Maurice Maeterlinck, (1862–1949) poet & playwright, won the
Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...
. *
Hippolyte Metdepenningen Hippolyte Désiré Metdepenningen (1799–1881) was a Belgian lawyer, president of the Ghent Bar Association and a politician. After Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 he became a municipal councilor on the Orangist list. ...
, (1799–1881) lawyer and politician *
Gerard Mortier Gerard Alfons August, Baron Mortier (25 November 1943 – 8 March 2014) was a Belgian opera director and administrator of Flemish origin. Biography Born in Ghent, the son of a baker, Mortier attended in youth the Jesuit private school Sint-Barbar ...
, (born 1943) Belgian opera director *
Jacob Obrecht Jacob Obrecht (also Hobrecht; 1457/8
, (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 , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
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 Jan van Eyck ( , ; – July 9, 1441) was a painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of what became known as Early Netherlandish painting, and one of the most significant representatives of Early Northern Renaissance art. Ac ...
, (ca.1385–1441) painter. *
Geo Verbanck Geo (Georges) Verbanck (28 February 1881 – 12 December 1961) was a Belgian sculptor and medalist. Early life Born in the city of Ghent (Flanders), Belgium, Verbanck spent his childhood in the care of a foster family at the countryside in Laar ...
, (1881-1961) sculptor * Jan Frans Willems, (1793–1846) writer.


Sport

*
Tiesj Benoot Tiesj Benoot (born 11 March 1994) is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . Career Lotto–Soudal (2015–19) Benoot turned professional with the Belgian UCI World Tour team in 2015, after riding for the outfit in 2013 and ...
, (born 1994) cyclist * Kevin De Bruyne, (born 1991) professional footballer * Xavier Henry, (born 1991)
shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...
/ small forward for the
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
's
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
* Gaelle Mys, (born 1991) Olympic gymnast * Jacques Rogge, (1942-2021) former president of the
IOC The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
*
Patrick Sercu Patrick Sercu (27 June 1944 – 19 April 2019) was a Belgian cyclist who was active on the road and track between 1961 and 1983. On track, he won the gold medal in the 1 km time trial at the 1964 Summer Olympics, as well as three world titl ...
, (1944-2019) Belgian track cyclist *
Cédric Van Branteghem Cédric Marie Carlos Thérèse Van Branteghem (born 13 March 1979 in Ghent) is a Belgian sprinter, who specializes in the 400 metres. Achievements Personal bests *100 metres - 10.54 s (2003) *200 metres The 200 metres, or 2 ...
, (born 1979) athlete * Bradley Wiggins, (born 1980) British cyclist


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Ghent is twinned with:


Gallery

File:Sint-Baafskathedraal_(St._Bavo's_Cathedral)_Ghent_Belgium_October.jpg, 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 File:Oud_Postkantoor,_Ghent_(DSCF0257-DSCF0261).jpg, Old Post Office on Korenmarkt Square File:25890_Gravensteen_bij_zonsondergang_vanuit_de_Sint-Widostraat.jpg,
Gravensteen Castle The Gravensteen (Dutch; literally "Castle of the Counts") is a medieval castle at Ghent, East Flanders in Belgium. The current castle dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. It was subsequently re-purposed as a c ...
File:Graslei_gent_avondlicht.jpg, Graslei Quay File:Gent, de Korenlei met oeg25136-40 vanaf de Graslei IMG 0592 2021-08-15 09.12.jpg,
Korenlei Korenlei (; en, Wheat Quay or Corn Quay) is a quay in the historic city center of Ghent, Belgium, located on the left bank of the Leie river. The quay on the opposite bank of the Leie is Graslei Graslei (; en, Grass Quay) is a quay in the histor ...
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 Arts Center Vooruit ( nl, Kunstencentrum Vooruit, ) is a historic complex in Ghent, Belgium. Vooruit was originally the festival and art center of the Ghent-based labor movement, with a ballroom, cinema, theater, etc. It is now mainly used for concerts an ...
File:Hotel_d'Hane-Steenhuyse_-_225133_-_onroerenderfgoed.jpg, City palace
Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse The Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse is an 18th-century ''hôtel particulier'' (grand townhouse) in the Belgian city of Ghent. It is located in the ''Veldstraat'' and was once a possession of the D'Hane de Steenhuyse family. History The building was bu ...
File:Gent_Gandastraat_Zonder_Nummer_Abdij_-_23169_-_onroerenderfgoed.jpg, Ruins of
Saint Bavo's Abbey Saint Bavo's Abbey ( nl, Sint-Baafsabdij) is a former abbey in the currently Belgian city of Ghent. It was founded in the 7th century by Saint Amand, who also founded Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent, near the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. ...
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 cuberdon is a cone-shaped Belgian candy and a popular local delicacy in Ghent. In Dutch it is also known as a ("nose"), ("Ghent nose"), or ("little nose") for its likeness to a human nose. In French, cuberdons are also called and (priest ...
: 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 Municipalities of East Flanders Port cities and towns in Belgium Provincial capitals of Flanders