Page 138 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

136  BEL GIUM AND L UXEMBOURG REGION B Y REGION

Exploring Ghent which is the Pacification Hall.
This was once the Court of
In the 9th century, Baldwin Iron-Arm, the first Count of Flanders, Justice and the site of the
laid the foundations of Ghent when he built a castle to protect signing of the Pacification
two abbeys from Viking raids. Ghent’s historic centre was of Ghent (a treaty between
originally built during the 13th and 14th centuries, when the Catholics and Protestants
under Habsburg rule) in 1576.
city pros pered as a result of the cloth trade. Despite the many
religious and dynastic conflicts, Ghent flourished throughout P Belfort
the 16th and early 17th centuries. After 1648, the Dutch sealed St-Baafsplein. Tel (09) 3753161.
the Scheldt estuary near Antwerp, closing vital canal links, Open daily. Closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec.
& 8 May–Oct.
which led to a dec line in the fortunes of both cities. The Ghent’s Belfort (Belfry), a famed
19th-century boom in cotton spinning reinvigorated Ghent and landmark rising 91 m (299 ft)
led to the building of wide boulevards in the city’s south. Today, high to the gilded-copper dragon
textiles still feature in Ghent’s industry, while its university lends on the tip of its spire, is sit uated
a youthful vibrancy to city life. between the cathedral and the
town hall. Originally built in 1313,
the Belfort was restored in the
19th and 20th centuries. Its bells
today include a 54-bell carillon,
which is used to play tunes to
accompany the clock chimes
every 15 min utes, and for
concerts on the first Friday of
the month, as well as every
Sunday. A lift to its parapet at a
height of 65 m (213 ft) offers
mag nificent views over the city.
Tiled flooring forming a maze in the Pacification Hall in Ghent’s Stadhuis Below the Belfort is the
Lakenhalle (Cloth Hall), a fine
R St-Baafskathedraal Flamboyant Gothic style. The Flemish-Gothic building from
St-Baafsplein. Tel (09) 2692045. plainer, newer part, which flanks 1425 where the city’s cloth-trade
Open daily. Adoration of the the Botermarkt, is characteristic was carried out. The build ing
Mystic Lamb: Open Apr–Oct: of post-Reformation architecture. incorporates a small town
8:30am–6pm Mon–Sat, 10am– The statues seen in the niches prison; guided tours are
6pm Sun; Nov–Mar: 8:30am–5pm on the exterior were added in provided on request.
Mon–Sat, 10am–5pm Sun. & 7 the 1890s. Among this group
∑ sintbaafskathedraal.be
of figures, it is possible to spot R St-Niklaaskerk
St Bavo, who was Ghent’s own the original architect, Rombout Cataloniëstraat. Open 10am–5pm
7th-century saint, left the life of Keldermans, who is shown Tue–Sun, 2–5pm Mon.
a wealthy degenerate to become studying his plans. Built by merchants between
first a missionary in Flanders and The building is still the city’s the 13th and 15th centuries,
France and then a hermit. Built in administrative centre. Guided this church was dedicated to
several stages, St-Baafskathedraal tours pass through a series of their patron saint, St Nicholas,
repre sents every phase of Gothic rooms, the most fascinating of Bishop of Myra (and model for
style, from the 13th- and
14th-century chancel to the later
cavernous nave that is supported
by slender columns. The main
attraction here is van Eyck’s
polyptych Adoration of the Mystic
Lamb, housed in a side chapel.
P Stadhuis
Botermarkt 1. Tel (09) 2665111. & 8
May–Oct: 3pm Mon–Thu; tours depart
2pm from the tourist office.
The façade of Ghent’s town hall
displays two distinctly different
architectural styles. Overlooking
Hoogstraat, the older half dates
from the early 16th century and
its tracery is in the elaborate Gothic towers of St-Niklaaskerk and the Belfort from St-Michielsbrug
For hotels and restaurants see p267 and pp284–5

136-137_EW_Belgium.indd 136 18/10/16 3:01 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm