GHENT, BELGIUM

                                              A Really Old City 

            Ghent is also spelled Gent. Ghent is a Celtic word meaning confluence of two rivers. We met our local guide at St. James Church which is made of limestone and dates to the 1200s. Before 1400, stone was imported.

      Ghent is a charming Flemish city where winters are mild and the streets aren't overrun with tourists. Belgium’s fourth largest city is one of the country’s oldest. City PR information says: Ghent is often over-shadowed by Bruges and Antwerp, but it actually combines the best elements of both its brasher neighbors  with more historic sites than Antwerp, and better eating and drinking options than Bruges. We didn’t really agree with this statement as we loved Bruges and certainly did not find it brash!

Known as the Jewel of Flanders, the city has a rich history with many medieval and renaissance buildings. From the 11^th century the city reigned as the textile capitol of the world and  was more populous and wealthier than London for several centuries.

            Under Spanish rule the people rebelled against Charles V protesting against taxes. He punished the city by making the nobles parade in front of him wearing a noose, called a stroppendrager, around their necks. 

The city's medieval core is cradled within a loop of the River Leie, which surrounds old town like a moat. The restored area is made for strolling and biking. To the north is Patershol where many of Ghent's best restaurants are located. To the south is the Kunstenkwartier, the cultural quarter and congregating area for most of Ghent's 50,000 college students. The hub of this area is the Boekentoren, the stark art deco tower of the university library. To the east, the red light district around Brabantdam has been renovated, now containing some stylish bars and cafés, though it's still a bit seedy after dark.

Ghent has managed to preserve its medieval power while keeping up with the times. The city center alone is a showcase of medieval Flemish wealth and commercial success. Modern Ghent certainly cannot be overlooked. The city has an important harbor, thanks to the Ghent-Terneuzen canal which allows sea-going vessels to bring their products to the city and its industrial hinterland.

The city has many small squares and two large ones. Southern French monks arrived in the 600s and were the source of the written word.

The Romanesque architecture is 1000 years old. The political center is at a large 1000-year-old square where Friday markets were and still are held. There was a large statue in the center of the square which  is surrounded by guild houses.

Ghent is also the flower city of Belgium. Flower growers from the region around Ghent sell beautiful begonias and azaleas all over the world.

The best views across the city are from the battlements of Gravensteen at Sint-Veerleplein. Built in 1180, this knights-in-armor castle has been used as a mint, cotton mill, courthouse and jail. Restored in the 19th century, its museum, chronicles the city’s checkered past, and even has a gruesome torture chamber. The counts of Flanders wielded their power from Ghent's 12th-century castle in the centre of town. Rising up out of the water, its square-cut towers and ramparts are the makings of storybooks.