# Ghent - Belgian Medieval Gem



## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Belgium has some very interesting cities. Nice shots El Greco.


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Yeah that's true for sure! Despite it being a small country, Belgium does have a great number of beautiful cities and towns! kay:


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Oki doki. Second and last part!

46. Very ancient looking building!










47. Some more!










48. And one more.










49. A lovely Art-Nouveau doorway.










50. Random street.










51. I loved this fountain.










52. Stadsmuseum Gent. Museum of the city mixing old with the new.










53. While wandering round the city we found this rather cool Art-Deco building.










54. Close up.










55. Looking towards the centre.










56. Old and new. There's some really cool new constructions in Ghent.










57. St. Peter's Abbey. A former Benedectine Abbey with a long history - going back all the way to the 7th century. During the European Wars of Religion the Abbey was looted and heavily damaged. Despite that it is home to some beautiful paintings. Today it is a museum.










58. This was taken from the Abbey's garden. A beautiful place.










59. It does have a feel and look of an ancient building.










60. One of the paintings inside.










61. The interior is beautiful too.










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64. Belfry of Ghent the 91 metre tower the construction of which began 1313.










65. Inside the Cathedral of St Bavo. The cathedral housing the famous Ghent Altarpiece. Which was one of the main reasons we visited Ghent.










66. Wow that's amazing!










67. And here's the famous Ghent Altarpiece or Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. The masterpiece of Flemish art painted by Jan van Eyck although the work was begun by his older brother Hubert. It has a fascinating history and it seems that it always had strange effect on people. It was an instant hit and even in 15th century was considered a masterpiece. Over the centuries it was looted and nearly destroyed on more than one occasion. In 1934 the Just Judges panels were stolen and never recovered. It is as famous a case of art theft as that of the Mona Lisa. People are still looking...Unfortunately the painting sits in a small room and behind a heavy glass. Photography is prohibited. But I did take a shot with my Iphone!










68. Anyway! Now some shots from the Belfry!










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76. St Bavo Cathedral.










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The End!


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## Puinkabouter (Jan 8, 2007)

Thank you for these photos, El_Greco. It's wonderful to see such familiar sights through someone else's eyes. Makes them feel a bit less familiar again 

I also appreciate that you have a very consequential style throughout the series. Always very bright, somewhat bluish, with pops of red here and there.

I'll take the liberty of adding some information:


*46* - This is a detail of City Hall. It's a very strange building. It started off in a pretty flamboyant gothic style (as shown), and was intended to become inconceivably huge. Then the religious wars of the 16th century came and the project was abandoned. Later on, it was finished in a Renaissance style. It makes it seem like 2 adjacent buildings, but it is in fact one:

​
*53 & 54* - This used to be the headquarters of Dagblad Vooruit, a socialist newspaper. After they ceased to exist, it was used as a theater - named "Backstage" because the stage was in the printing hall behind the Art Deco building. Now it has moved on to its third life as a hostel, named "Backstay". It's a pretty nice one. All the way up in that glass shaft there's a really tiny room with a desk and a type writer. Pretty romantic.

*56* - The new building is the future central library of the city. It's been under construction for a couple of years now. Upon completion in march 2017, it will be the largest municipal library in the country. There's a thread on the Belgian forum where you can see how they built it and what the construction site looked like throughout the years. Comments are all in Dutch though.

*64* - The oldest part of the Belfry, namely the shaft of the tower, dates back to the early 14th century. The current tip on top of it only dates back to 1913. It has changed many times throughout the century, mainly because of fire. It was replaced with a construction in cast iron in the 19th century to put an end to all those fires, but it weighed so much that the tower began to sink into the ground, so it had to be replaced. The current design is based upon original drawings from the 14th century though - even if they didn't have such huge clocks back then:


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Thanks for the fascinating info! I usually research places I visit, but obviously miss some bits here and there. That room in the Art-Deco building sounds intriguing! Guess I'll need to come back to the city some day!


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## Why-Why (Jul 20, 2016)

Great shots of a fascinating city that probably doesn't get the attention it deserves. And thanks for the excellent commentary too.


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## shik2005 (Dec 25, 2014)

Fabulous city and pics! :applause:


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## yansa (Jun 16, 2011)

Breathtakingly beautiful, El Greco! :applause:

Thank you for sharing those fine impressions with us!


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Thanks! :cheers:


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Ghent is a fabulous little treasure chest. Thanks!


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## Buffalo Soldier (Jun 13, 2009)

Great pictures!


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## danmartin1985 (Mar 5, 2012)

lovely details specially the old architecture.


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## Wapper (Feb 24, 2011)

Puinkabouter said:


> Thank you for these photos, El_Greco. It's wonderful to see such familiar sights through someone else's eyes. Makes them feel a bit less familiar again


I recognize the feeling. Even though I don't live in Ghent, I just don't pay as much attention as I should when I visit, since this style of architecture is just too familiar for me. These pictures make me look at it with renewed interest. 

Thanks, Greco.!


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## SutroTower (Jun 25, 2008)

Another one to the bucket list when in Belgium, thanks for sharing!


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## marlonbasman (Apr 21, 2012)

nice detailed shots of the buildings. this city is such a charming one.


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Thank you all!


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## Ribarca (Jan 28, 2005)

Why-Why said:


> Great shots of a fascinating city that probably doesn't get the attention it deserves. And thanks for the excellent commentary too.


Let's keep it like that. It's an awesome little town. Let it not be Brugge version 2.0 in terms of tourism.


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## stevekeiretsu (Sep 25, 2011)

http://i.imgur.com/ETgGD29.jpg

bloody hell. transcendental.


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Thanks!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Ghent :cheers:


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

kay:


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## capricorn2000 (Nov 30, 2006)

a beautiful presentantion of one of the most charming and historical cities.


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## Puinkabouter (Jan 8, 2007)

Ribarca said:


> Let's keep it like that. It's an awesome little town. Let it not be Brugge version 2.0 in terms of tourism.


I think your concern is shared by the majority of its population and, more importantly, by the city council. City marketing seems to be more oriented at niche markets (ao. vegetarians) and event-specific tourism, and not so much towards general sight-seeing.

And even though there can be quite a lot of tourists at times, it will take a lot more for them to eclipse the number of students (around 70.000).


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

It's a tiny place too.


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## Buffalo Soldier (Jun 13, 2009)

Puinkabouter said:


> And even though there can be quite a lot of tourists at times, it will take a lot more for them to eclipse the number of students (around 70.000).


74.000 this year. With an official city population of 257.000 (that's not counting most of the students, who don't have an official residence in the city), that's quite substantial indeed.


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## Niemand (Sep 6, 2016)

Also in Ghent, the world famous painting *'The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'* (or Ghent alterpiece) by brothers Van Eyck is to be seen. It dates from the 15th-century.











Currently it is partly under renovation.


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## Why-Why (Jul 20, 2016)

Was just reading about the Ghent Altarpiece today. I gather the restoration is now finished and it's a triumph. The painting was described as "the most influential painting ever" as well as "the most stolen." Worth going to Ghent just to see this fantastic painting!


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## Buffalo Soldier (Jun 13, 2009)

The first part of the restoration is finished, the back panels. At least 5 more years for the whole thing. (It's a huge painting!)

More on the restoration: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/oct/12/ghent-altarpiece-restoration


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## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

Fabulous pics!!!


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Thanks all!


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

How did I miss this thread? So gorgeous!


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## marlonbasman (Apr 21, 2012)

nice medieval painting.


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## Niemand (Sep 6, 2016)

Always beautiful.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Any updates from beuatiful, very nice town of Ghent?


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## Niemand (Sep 6, 2016)

This morning was very beautiful and sunny. I decided to go for a walk while the city was still waking up and not so busy yet. 


New public library 'De Krook'












Gravensteen castle






Saint Nicholas' church






Korenlei



The old fishmine, now a restaurant/bar and it also has the tourist information centre in it


Het Pand, a former Dominican closter, now owned by Ghent University



Saint Michael's church


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## Puinkabouter (Jan 8, 2007)

I can't see your pictures. Are you hosting them on a private hosting site?


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Imgur. Works fine for me.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

I cannot see those photos too; does not working


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

I dunno, works perfectly fine for me. Including on my Iphone, wife's Ipad and different browser.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Photos are still broken :dunno:


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