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Geo: 50.8371, 4.36761
On my last day in Europe, I hopped on the train and took a day trip to Gent, or Ghent as we spell it. Gent is a city similar to Brugge. It was a main city in Europe until about 1550. It was then that the sea access was lost and people left. The city rebounded in the late 1700s when a canal reopened access to the sea. Today, it is another well preserved historical city with lots to discover.
Gent does have a city card, but it's for either two or three days so it did not make sense for me to buy one. They are really pushing visitors to stay for more than just a day, which makes sense, and I believe there would be plenty to see for two days.
I arrived at St. Pieter Station about 9:30 and easily found my way to the tram. There are two tram lines that run to the city center from the station, but my guidebook said to take line 1 so that is what I did. Once in the heart of the historical center, I looked around for the visitor center to get some information. There was a nice
old gentleman who asked if I was a tourist and welcomed me to the city. He directed me to the visitor center and wished me an enjoyable stay. How nice and welcoming! At the visitor center I got a great map that had an introductory walk with all the highlights of the historical city center. It was perfect for my one day outing!
The first stop was the Castle of the Counts. This was unexpected as it is a large castle right in the city! The castle was built in 1180 and has a great self guided tour. There are exhibits of torture devices, what the castle looked like throughout its history and wonderful views of the city from the top of the keep. I had to limit my time there (and at all of the sights so I could see them all) but probably took enough pictures to make it seem like I was there longer. A cute note, the lights in the square outside the castle will light up at any time. When they do, it means a baby was born!
The next big stop is a bridge that crosses the River Lys, which offers a wonderful view of
the buildings along the river banks and of the three towers that make up the famous Gent skyline. It was a great place to take pictures and admire the history of the city. Next to the bridge is St. Michael's Church. This church was to have a tower as well, but it was never completed due to a lack of funding. It's still an impressive church with a beautiful interior.
Next on the tour, the three towers of Gent. First is St. Nicholas' Church. This church was built in the 1200s and from some viewpoints I think it looks fake. It's just too perfect to be real! The inside is interesting in that the tower is not in the front, but above the crossing of the nave and transepts. The light shines directly into the transepts from the tower, which is different from other churches.
The Belfry is next. This tower is topped with a dragon, who has watched over the city since 1380. Here, you can climb the steps to the top or take an elevator, a welcome change if you are tired of stairs! The top offers sweeping views of Gent. There are also displays inside of the different
carillon bells and views to archeological finds below the main level. There is a handy app you can download for free while there and read all about the history of the building.
The third tower belongs to St. Bavo's Cathedral. The first chapel on the grounds was built in 942. The oldest remains can be found in the crypt and date from 1150. Unfortunately, the cathedral is undergoing a thorough restoration and is covered in scaffolding for five years so you cannot get the full effect of the tower at this time. The Cathedral is impressive in its own right, but the main draw is the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, or Gent Altarpiece, by the Van Eyck brothers. This work of art was completed in 1432 and has quite the history. It was moved several times, returned to Gent, moved again, stolen by the Nazis for Hitler's grand art museum and recovered in the nick of time by the Americans and finally returned to Gent where it remains today. I saw the movie The Monuments Men and since then have wanted to see this specific piece of art. It was very impressive! There is a 4 euro fee to
enter the chapel but there is an audio guide that explains each panel and also the history of the work itself and the Van Eycks. Photos were not allowed in the Cathedral at all so I bought a postcard of the Altarpiece for my album.
I walked past St. James' Church but there was a mass so I could not go inside. That was ok because I was ready to take a break from walking and luckily Gent has boat tours! The 40 minute ride was a great way to end my visit. We went past all the main sights I had already visited but also learned the history and more about the buildings. There was also a spot along the canal with some turtles, which I would not have known about if I hadn't taken the boat ride!
I found a place to buy a good waffle, walked back to the tram stop and then back to the train station. I got back to Brussels about 5, had some frites for dinner and that's it for the day. I put on a good 8-1/2 miles today and I think my feet will be glad to go back to normal. Tomorrow I
head to the train station to catch a train to the airport for my flight home. The two weeks have flown by, but I saw everything I had on my list to see and some I hadn't planned on as well. Lots of good food and friendly people, which I find most places I travel, especially in Europe!
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MOM
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OOOH a castle!!