Rebel rebel
Located in the heart of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, Ghent has a rich history. During the 13th and 14th centuries, as the centre of the Flemish cloth trade, it was the largest town in Western Europe.
The city's population is known to be headstrong and they rose in revolt on a number of occasions through the centuries, which often resulted in punishment being metred out to the rebellious inhabitants. In 1540, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, stormed Ghent, abolished its privileges and built a new castle at the city's expense. Ghent slowly slipped into decline, until a big push began to attract new business this century.
Besides being the location for the Flanders International Film Festival, Ghent is also home to the Flanders Music Festival and to one of Europe's top flower shows, the Floralien.
How to get there and where to stayairplane: Ghent has no airport, the nearest one is in Brussels - a one-hour journey by car, bus or train.
train: Especially when you want to visit the Flanders International Film Festival - Ghent, you should go to Ghent St.Pieters railway station, which adjoins the main bus station. A short tram journey will take you to the city centre where, near the Korenmarkt in the crypt of the Town Hall (Stadhuis), you can find the tourist office.
The film festival centre is walking discance from the Stadhuis: it's located in the Hotel Sofitel Gent Belfort (Hoogpoort 63, B-9000 Ghent). That's where you can also reach Moving Pictures (Fax: +32-9.233.11.02 - #229).
accommodation: The official festival hotel is the highly comfortable Sofitel Gent Belfort. It's situated at the foot of the Belfort and in the shadow of the Town Hall in Ghent's historic centre.
A full list of accommodation can be obtained at the Tourist Office.
During the summer months, there's also a cheaper solution for young travellers, when thousands of student rooms are let to tourists for next to nothing. Those camping should go to the Zuiderlaan 12, for Camping Blaarmeersen.
SightseeingSt Baafs Cathedral is the best place to start exploring the historic heart of Ghent. The Gothic monument is probably best known for its 15th Century altarpiece, "The adoration of the Mystic Lamb", by the van Eyck "brothers". The fact that it's still in Ghent is a small miracle: the Calvinists wanted to destroy it, Philip II of Spain wanted to get it, Emperor Joseph II of Austria was highly upset with the nude Adam and Eve and replaced them with a clothed version of the couple (which can be seen just inside the entrance), while the Germans confiscated it and transported the altarpiece to an Austrian salt mine until the end of the Second World War. And then there's the story of the theft of one of the panels, which certain sources claim is still hidden somewhere in the cathedral.
St Niklaas Kerk (St Nicholas Church): Just look at the structure of this recently restored monument.
Stadhuis (City Hall): the most intersting hall open to the public is undoubtedly the Pacificatiezaal, where the signing of the Pacification of Ghent (1576) took place. The agreement brought Southern and Northern Flanders together against the Habsburgs, with the promise of religious freedom.
Main Post Office: Its carved heads represent the monarchs who visited Ghent for the 1913 World Expo.
's Gravensteen (Counts Castle): Built in 1180, this cold, dark and cruel building was to intimidate the town's headstrong people, as well as protect them. For the fans, we recommend the castle's collection of gruesome instruments of torture.
Museums: Ghent also offers a wide range of museums: the Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst (contemporary art), the Museum van Industriële Archeologie en Textiel (looms and old textile materials), the Museum voor Volkskunde (depicting local life and work in the 18th and 19th Centuries) and the Museum voor Sierkunst (period rooms containing fine examples of early Dutch and Chinese porcelain).
Boat trips through the heart of Ghent depart from the Graslei daily from 10 to 18hrs.
RestaurantsBuddhasbelly: Hoogpoortstraat 30. Vegetarian restaurant
't Buikske Vol: Kraanlei 17 (09/2251880) Near 's Gravensteen. Belgian meat and fish cuisine.
Carvery: Korenmarkt 11 (09/2242841)
De Drake: in the Sofitel Hotel (09/2333331)
Flor: Huidevettershoek 10 (09/2238919)
Journaal: Kortrijksesteenweg 1102 (09/2202266)
Klokkekelder: Heilige Geeststraat 2 (09/2232928)
La Malcontenta: Haringsteeg 7-9 (09/2241801) Spanish restaurant
Othello: Ketelvest 8. Wine bar.
't Oude Veer: Baarle Frankrijkstraat 90, Sint-Martens-Latem (09/2810520)
Bars: try De Tap en de Tepel (The Tap and the Nipple), Amadeus, In den Karmeliet, Het Waterhuis, or Stropken.
ShoppingFor Books, you can go to Fnac (where they also sell compact discs, videotapes, photo material, hifi, TV's, etc...), Standaard Boekhandel, Club or, for old and second-hand titles, De Sleghte.
For music, there's also Free Record Shop, Super Club and Disc.
Belgian chocolates can be bought at Daskalides, Leonidas and Temmerman (where they also sell delicious Tierentijn mustard). Local candy stores will also offer the "real" lekkerbekken, Gentse mokken, katrienspekken, or babbelaars.
All sorts of Belgian beers can be obtained at Craenkindershuys.
Belgian lace is sold at the Kloskanthuis.
For soundtracks, film books and posters, there's the Selling Dreams shop at the Decascoop cinema theatre.
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