The city of Ghent

The three towers of Ghent - De 3 torens van Gent

Ghent is the capital and biggest (nearly 250,000 habitants) city of the East-Flanders province. The city settled at the confluence of the two rivers, the Scheldt and the Leie, and in the middle-ages it was one of the largest and richest cities of Northern Europe. The city has managed to preserve its medieval power while keeping up with the times. Strolling along the small streets and the little canals in the historical centre of Ghent will bring you back to the days where Emperor Charles V lived.

The emperor, born in the city in 1500, not only left the city with streets, houses and even beers named after him, but also gave the citizens of Ghent their nickname, namely 'Stroppendragers' (=noose-wearers). Due to its disobedience, Emperor Charles ordered that the insubordinate city be publicly humiliated. On May 3, 1540, a procession of Ghent residents walked barefoot, dressed only in a shirt and with a noose around their necks, from the town hall to the Prinsenhof. There they were made to kneel and beg the Emperor for mercy.
The people of Ghent still wear those nooses as a matter of pride at the city's festival parade and Ghent people are still nicknamed "noose-wearers".The black and white noose is the symbol of the city!

The skyline of the centre is dominated by the "three towers" of Ghent. These are the towers of "Sint Niklaas"-church, the "Belfort" (the Belfry) and the "Sint Baafs"-cathedral. The last one contains the world famous "Het Lam Gods" ("the mystic lamb") by the brothers Van Eyk, with one of the panels ("de rechtvaardige rechters") still mysteriously missing. "Het Gravensteen", "het Patershol", "de Vrijdagsmarkt", "de Gras-en Korenlei" are among the numerous things that you must see when you take a trip to Ghent.

Modern Ghent certainly cannot be overlooked in Belgium. The city has an important harbour, thanks to the canal Ghent-Terneuzen which allows sea-going vessels to bring their products to the city and its industrial hinterland. A lot of large factories are lying near the canal among which "ArcelorMittal Gent", one of the largest steel producers in the world.

The University of Ghent (UGent) continues to grow in importance. The presence of so many young people and students has turned Ghent into an important Flemish cultural center. With it's 28,000 students and about 6,500 staff members it is the second largest University of the country.

Every year about 1-2 million of people visit Ghent when the biggest outdoor festival (=Gentse Feesten) in the country takes place. During these ten days citizens and tourists can enjoy numerous free concerts, theatre performances, fireworks, street acts. This makes all the streets of the centre filled with people, joy, happiness, music and beer. If you ever have the chance of passing by during the "Gentse feesten" do not hesitate!

The official language in Ghent is Flemish, but most citizens also speak French, English and/or German.

In the town centre there are banks and exchange offices. In most places, credit cards are accepted. Cash points open 24/7 are located all over the city.
The Belgian currency is the Euro. All prices in Belgium include taxes and service.

The weather in Ghent (and Belgium) is hard to predict. It is safe to say that the climate is fickle and wet. The summers can be either hot (±30°C) or cool (±10°C), but mostly are a mix of both.


For more information on Ghent, please visit:
GHENT, Dazzlingly authentic visitor’s guide
www.visitgent.be
gent.startpagina.be

or contact the Tourist Information Office at:
Dienst Toerisme Gent
Botermarkt 17a (Raadskelder)
B-9000 GENT
Tel: +32 (0)9 266 52 32
Fax: +32 (0)9 225 62 88
e-mail: toerisme@gent.be