Ghent, Belgium: a cultural city guide

Ghent  is Belgium's second largest municipality and fourth largest agglomeration after Brussels, Antwerp and Liege.

This attractive medieval canal city has long been overlooked by visitors on the traditional art-town hop between Belgium’s big three.

 Ghent is thriving as many young people choose to live here instead of in the countryside or the crowded and disintegrating city centers of Brussels and Antwerp.

Known as Gent in Flemish and Gand in French, Ghent was medieval Europe’s largest city outside Paris.

In a unique way, the beautiful Ghent has managed to preserve its medieval power
while keeping up with the time

Ghent is a city of history. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the richest and most powerful cities in Europe.

Sitting on the junction of the Leie and Scheldt Rivers, it was the seat of the counts of Flanders who built a fearsome castle, Het Gravensteen, that’s visible today.

Modern Ghent certainly cannot be overlooked either. The city has an important port, thanks to the canal Ghent-Terneuzen which allows sea-going vessels to bring their products to the city and its industrial hinterland.

By the mid-14th century Ghent had become Europe’s largest cloth producer, importing wool
 from England and employing thousands of people.

The name Ghent comes from the Celtic word 'ganda', which means 'confluence' (i.e. that of the Scheldt and Lys Rivers).