Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

and a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

Flemish Region The Flemish Region (, ), usually simply referred to as Flanders ( ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—alongside the Wallonia, Walloon Region and the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region. ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. It is the capital and largest city of the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

East Flanders East Flanders ( ; ; ; ) is a Provinces of Belgium, province of Belgium. It borders (clockwise from the North) the Netherlands, Dutch province of Zeeland and the Belgian provinces of Antwerp (province), Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Hainaut (provinc ...

, and the third largest in the country, after

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

and

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

. It is a

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

and

university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

city. The city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers

Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...

and Leie. In the

Late Middle Ages The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...

Ghent became one of the largest and richest cities of

northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...

, with some 50,000 people in 1300. After the late 16th century Ghent became a less important city, resulting in an extremely well-preserved historic centre, that now makes Ghent an important destination of tourism. The municipality comprises the city of Ghent proper and the surrounding suburbs of Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With 270,473 inhabitants at the end of 2024, Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. The

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...

, 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 19 October 2008.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 19 October 2008. The current mayor of Ghent is

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 ...

(

Open Vld The Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (, , Open Vld) is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium. The party has been described as centre-right and has smaller factions within the party that have conservative liberal and social liberal ...

). The ten-day-long Ghent Festival (''

Gentse Feesten The Gentse Feesten (; in Ghent dialect ''Gense Fieste''; "Ghent Festival") is an annual music and theatre festival in Ghent, Belgium. Besides stage events, there are street acts such as mimes and buskers. It has been held for more than 50 years ...

'') 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 prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

and the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

. 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 Foot ...

word ''ganda'', which means '

confluence In geography, a confluence (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel (geography), channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main ...

', or 'river mouth', referring to the Leie river debouching into the

. 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 Ghent area continued to be inhabited. When the

Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...

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 In linguistics, Old Dutch ( Modern Dutch: ') or Old Low Franconian (Modern Dutch: ') is the set of dialects that evolved from Frankish spoken in the Low Countries during the Early Middle Ages, from around the 6th Page 55: "''Uit de zesde eeu ...

Middle Ages

Around 650, Saint Amand founded two

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christians, Christian monks and nun ...

s in Ghent: St. Peter's ( Blandinium) and St. Bavo's Abbey. Around 800,

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (; ; ; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aquitaine from 781. As the only ...

, son of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

, appointed

Einhard Einhard (also Eginhard or Einhart; ; 775 – 14 March 840) was a Franks, 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 Karoli M ...

, 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

Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

s. Under the protection of the

County of Flanders The County of Flanders was one of the most powerful political entities in the medieval Low Countries, located on the North Sea coast of modern-day Belgium and north-eastern France. Unlike the neighbouring states of Duchy of Brabant, Brabant and ...

the city recovered and flourished from the 11th century, growing to become a small

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world throughout history, including cities such as Rome, ...

. By the 13th century, Ghent was the biggest city in Europe north of the Alps after

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

; it was bigger than

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

. Up to 65,000 people lived within the city walls. The belfry and the towers of the St. Bavo's Cathedral and St. 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 In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

') were ideally suited for herding sheep, the wool of which was used to make cloth. Ghent was the leading city for

cloth Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is n ...

during the Middle Ages. The wool industry, originally established at

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

, created the first European industrialized zone in Ghent in the

High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...

. The mercantile zone was so highly developed that wool had to be imported from Scotland and England, which led to Flanders' good relationship with them. However, during the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

, trade with England suffered significantly. 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 surviving) of King Edward III of England, and the father of King Henry IV. Because ...

, Duke of Lancaster.

Early modern period

The city recovered in the 15th century when Flanders was united with neighbouring provinces under the

Dukes of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...

. High taxes led to a rebellion and eventually to 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 The Low Countries (; ), historically also known as the Netherlands (), is a coastal lowland region in Northwestern Europe forming the lower Drainage basin, basin of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and consisting today of the three modern "Bene ...

started to shift from Flanders (Bruges–Ghent) to Brabant (

–

), 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 The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

to rule Flanders. Lucas de Heere - View of the city of Ghent

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 (disambiguation), Emperor of the Romans (; ) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period (; ), was the ruler and h ...

and King of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. 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). St. Bavo's Abbey (not to be confused with the nearby St. Bavo's Cathedral) was abolished, torn down, and replaced with a fortress for Royal Spanish troops. Only a small portion of the abbey was spared demolition. Engelbert Van Siclers - De Kouter in Ghent in 1763

Engelbert Van Siclers - De Kouter in Ghent in 1763

The late 16th and 17th centuries brought devastation because of the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

. 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 The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...

before being returned to the Empire of Austria under the

following the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. This part of

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

became known as the

Austrian Netherlands The Austrian Netherlands was the territory of the Burgundian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire between 1714 and 1797. The period began with the acquisition by the Austrian Habsburg monarchy of the former Spanish Netherlands under the Treaty of Ras ...

until the exile of the French Emperor

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, the end of the French Revolutionary and later

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

, and the peace treaties arrived at by the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...

in 1815.

19th century

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ghent's textile industry flourished again. Lieven Bauwens, having smuggled the industrial 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 Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the eas ...

in 1800. The

Treaty of Ghent The Treaty of Ghent () was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. It took effect in February 1815. Both sides signed it on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent, United Netherlands (now in ...

, negotiated here and adopted on Christmas Eve 1814, formally ended the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

between Great Britain and the United States (the North American phase of the Napoleonic Wars). After the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

, Ghent and

, previously ruled from the House of Habsburg in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

as the Austrian Netherlands, became a part of the

United Kingdom of the Netherlands The United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name given to the Kingdom of the Netherlands as it existed from 1815 to 1839. The United Netherlands was created in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars through the fusion of territories t ...

with the northern Dutch for 15 years. In this period, Ghent established its own

(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 a 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. The ...

, 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 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 World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

is described by H. Wandt in "etappenleven te Gent". In

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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.

Geography

After the fusions of municipalities in 1965 and 1977, the city is made up of following sub-municipalities: *I Ghent *II 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 * Merelbeke * De Pinte *

Sint-Martens-Latem Sint-Martens-Latem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders, in Belgium. The municipality comprises the towns of Deurle and Sint-Martens-Latem proper. In 2021, Sint-Martens-Latem had a total population of 8,285. The ...

* Deinze * Lievegem * 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 The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Ghent has a

marine west coast climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...

, 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).

Politics

The composition of the 2018 – 2024 city council:

Culture and tourism

Architecture

Much of the city's

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is a carfree area. Highlights are St. Bavo's Cathedral with the ''

Ghent Altarpiece The ''Ghent Altarpiece'', also called the ''Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'' (), is a very large and complex 15th-century polyptych altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium. It was begun around the mid-1420s and completed by 1432, and it ...

'', the belfry, the Gravensteen castle, and the splendid architecture along the old

Graslei Graslei (; ) is a quay in the historic city center of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium, located on the right bank of the Leie, Leie river. The quay opposite of the Graslei is called Korenlei. Both quays were part of the medieval port and are now a cultural an ...

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 St. Jacob's Church, St. Nicholas' Church, St. Michael's Church and St. Stefanus' Church. Lamgods open

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 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Sites World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

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 Contemporary architecture is the architecture of the 21st century. No single style is dominant. Contemporary architects work in several different styles, from postmodernism, high-tech architecture and new references and interpretations of tradit ...

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 Hieronymus Bosch (; ; born Jheronimus van Aken ; – 9 August 1516) was a Dutch people, Dutch painter from Duchy of Brabant, Brabant. He is one of the most notable representatives of the Early Netherlandish painting school. His work, gene ...

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish painting, Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged comp ...

, and many Flemish masters; the

SMAK Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and SFRY, Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the yu rock, former Yugoslav rock scene. T ...

or Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (City Museum for Contemporary Art), with works of the 20th century, including

Joseph Beuys Joseph Heinrich Beuys ( ; ; 12 May 1921 – 23 January 1986) was a German artist, teacher, performance artist, and Aesthetics, art theorist whose work reflected concepts of humanism and sociology. With Heinrich Böll, , Caroline Tisdall, Rober ...

and

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

; and the Design Museum Gent with masterpieces of Victor Horta and

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...

. The Huis van Alijn (House of the Alijn family) was originally a

beguinage A beguinage, from the French language, French term , 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 w ...

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.

Theatre

NTGent is the city theatre of Ghent, a public institution known for its radical productions. The theatre company's home base is in the (Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg, or KNS), with a secondary location in the city at Minnemeers. The company also tours extensively.

Restaurants and culinary traditions

In Ghent and other regions of

, 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 Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

. Other local delicacies are the praline chocolates from local producers such as Leonidas, the cuberdons or 'neuzekes' ('noses'), cone-shaped purple jelly-filled candies (a four-year feud between two local vendors made international news), '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' 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 Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

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 The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates ...

has established to represent nearly one-fifth of global

greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...

Festivals and other events

The city is host to some big cultural events such as the Ghent Festival, the International Film Festival of Ghent (with the

World Soundtrack Awards The World Soundtrack Awards, launched in 2001, are the annual awards for best Film score, film music, presented during the Film Fest Gent. The World Soundtrack Academy supports the art of film music through cultural, educational and professional ac ...

) 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 Ghent Festival (''Gentse Feesten'' in Dutch) is an annual festival that lasts for ten days. It has been held for more than 50 years (since 1969) and is attended by about 1–1.5 million visitors. It did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium The COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium has resulted in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths. The virus was confirmed to have spread to Belgium on 4 February 2020, when one of a group of nine Belgians repatriated from Wuhan to Brussels was repor ...

, being held again in the summer of 2022, after a two-year break. 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 The term inner city (also called the hood) has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Soc ...

and some 250 international artists perform. Ghent co-hosted the 2021 World Choir Games together with

. Organised by the Interkultur Foundation, the World Choir Games is the biggest choral competition and festival in the world. Ghent has been chosen as the 2024 European Youth Capital by the European Youth Forum.

Parks

The numerous parks in the city can also be considered tourist attractions. Most notably, Ghent boasts a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

( Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, ) 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 Western Scheldt ( ), in the province of Zeeland in the southwestern Netherlands, is the estuary of the Scheldt river. This river once had several estuaries, but the others are now disconnected from the Scheldt, leaving the Westerschelde as ...

. The port houses, among others, large companies like

ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal S.A. is a Luxembourg-based multinational steel manufacturing corporation, headquartered in Luxembourg City. It is ranked second on the list of steel producers behind Baowu, and had an annual crude steel production of 58 millio ...

Volvo Cars Volvo Car AB, trading as Volvo Cars (, styled VOLVO in the company's logo) is a Sweden, Swedish multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles. Volvo is headquartered in Torslanda, Gothenburg. The company manufactures SUVs, station wagons, and ...

Volvo Trucks Volvo Trucks () is a truck manufacturing division of Volvo based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Trucks was a separate company within Volvo. The Volvo Group was reorganised on 1 January 2012 and as a part of the process, Volvo Trucks ceased to b ...

, Volvo Parts,

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

, Yamaha Motor and Stora Enso.

Ghent University Ghent University (, abbreviated as UGent) is a Public university, public research university located in Ghent, in the East Flanders province of Belgium. Located in Flanders, Ghent University is the second largest Belgian university, consisting o ...

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 four large hospitals, numerous 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

and

Ostend Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...

to the west, and with

Leuven Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...

and

Liège Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...

to the east. *The E17 connects Ghent with

Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas (; , ) is a Belgium, Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sin ...

and

to the north, and with

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...

and

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

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

Five

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

s can be found in the municipality of Ghent: * 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 is the main international airport of Belgium. It is located in the municipality of Zaventem in Flemish Brabant, northeast of Brussels. Also informally known as Brussels-National Airport or Brussels-Zaventem Airport, Brussels ...

. * Gent-Dampoort Station: an intercity railway station with connections to Sint-Niklaas, Antwerp, Kortrijk and

Eeklo Eeklo () is a Belgium, Belgian Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises only the city of Eeklo proper. The name ''Eeklo'' comes from the cont ...

. * 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

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

The Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

Public transport

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

Trams

Since 6/01/2024, the network contains 4 lines: Before 6/01/2024, the network contained 3 lines: *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 *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

Since 6/01/2024, the city bus network contains 11 lines: *Line 5a: Nieuw Gent – Heuvelpoort - Zuid - Sint-Jacobs - Van Beverenplein - Wondelgem Station *Line 5b: Nieuw Gent – Heuvelpoort - Zuid - Sint-Jacobs - Meulestede (''- Wondelgem Station, not serviced until 2026 due to road works'') *Line 6: P+R Muide – Sint-Jacobs - Zuid *Line 9a: Gentbrugge – Ledeberg - Sint-Pieters railway station - Malem - Mariakerke (Kolegem) - Wondelgem Station *Line 9b: Gentbrugge – Ledeberg - Sint-Pieters railway station - Malem - Mariakerke (Center) - Wondelgem Station *Line 10: Mariakerke – Korenmarkt - Sint-Jacobs - Dampoort - Snellaertplein *Line 11: Gentbrugge - Dampoort - Sint-Jacobs - Korenmarkt - Blaarmeersen *Line 12a: Achtendries - Dampoort - Sint-Jacobs - Korenmarkt - Drongen - Leerne *Line 12b: Oostakker – Dampoort - Sint-Jacobs - Korenmarkt - Drongen Varendries *Line 16: Zuid - Sint-Baafskouter *Line 19: Arteveldestadion – Sint-Pieters railway station - Blaarmeersen Before 6/01/2024, the city bus network contained 9 lines: Van Hool articulated

*Line 3: Mariakerke – Korenmarkt (city centre) – Dampoort – Gentbrugge (formerly a

trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...

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 *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 (

) 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 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 The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...

was held in Ghent. The Six Days of Ghent, a 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 , the traditional opening race of the

cobbled classics The cobbled classics are four cycling classics held in March and April. Cobblestones, like mountainous terrain, are important elements in courses of cycling. Many classic cycle races in northwestern Europe contain cobbled sections. The two Monumen ...

season. It also lends its name to another cobbled classic,

Gent–Wevelgem Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...

, 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 and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...

event in the Flanders Sports Arena: the Indoor Flanders meeting where two-time Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj set an indoor

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

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 organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and contested annually between teams from over 150 competing countries, making it the world's largest annual ...

Final between

and

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

Notable people

Titian - Portrait of Charles V Seated - WGA22964

* Frans Ackerman (–1387), Flemish statesmen and military leader. * Charlotte Adigéry (born ), Belgian-Caribbean musician * Alexander Agricola (–1506), Franco-Flemish composer of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

Leo Baekeland Leo Hendrik Baekeland ( , ; November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944) was a Belgian chemist. Educated in Belgium and Germany, he spent most of his career in the United States. He is best known for the inventions of Velox photographic paper ...

(1863–1944), chemist and inventor of

Bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

* Saint Bavo (589–654),

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

of Ghent * Marthe Boël (1877–1956), feminist * Josse Boutmy (1697–1779), composer, organist and harpsichordist * Cornelius Canis (–1562), composer, music director for the chapel of Charles V *

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...

(1500–1558), ''Karel V, Charles Quint''. *

Willy De Clercq Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq (8 July 1927 – 28 October 2011) was a Belgian liberal politician. De Clercq was born in Ghent, son of Frans de Clercq.Etat présent de la noblesse belge 2015, p. 62 After his law and notariat ...

(1927–2011), liberal politician and European Commissioner * Caspar de Crayer (1582–1669), painter * Pedro de Gante (ca.1480–1572), Franciscan missionary in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

* Frans de Potter (1834–1904), writer * Emma De Vigne (1850–1898), 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

. * 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

* 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 (–1482), painter. * Jan van Eyck (–1441), painter. * Geo Verbanck (1881–1961), sculptor *Seppe Gebruers (born 1990), the first quartertone jazzpianist. * Swen Vincke (born 1972), video game director and the head of Larian Studios. * Jan Frans Willems (1793–1846), writer. 14-01-10-tbh-263-jacques-rogge

Sport

* Tiesj Benoot (born 1994), cyclist * Kevin De Bruyne (born 1991), professional footballer for Manchester City * 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 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:Rabot 14.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, Geeraard de Duivelsteen File:Vooruitvoorgevel.JPG, Vooruit, Vooruit Arts Center File:Gent - Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse 11-9-2016 11-18-09.jpg, Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse File:Sint-Baafsabdij 6.jpg, Ruins of St. Bavo's Abbey File:Cuberdon_-_De_echte_Gentse_neuzen.jpg, Cuberdon: A popular local delicacy

References

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