5 June 2019
Our first day exploring Ghent was jam-packed and nonstop. We first started with a walking tour of Ghent. Ghent is a city in the Flemish Region of Belgium that has a history as far back as the Stone Age and Iron Age. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders provinces. The walking tour of Ghent was the best way to understand the layout of the city. We started our walk through the main square with the Church of Saint Nicholas and then proceeded over the St. Nicholas bridge to the City Hall. We found out that all marriages in Belgium must be done at city hall in order to be recognized. We even saw two brides taking pictures on the city hall steps. With the help of our amazing local tour guide, we were able to obtain an authentic Ghent experience and find the best stops for chocolate. We also had the amazing experience of a canal boat tour of the city that helped us understand the layout of the city even more. Fun fact: every bridge is named for a specific person or event. One bridge was named “the Bridge of Imperial Pleasure” after Charles V who was known at a young age for seducing many women, sneaking away, and infiltrating the surrounding populations.
Later adventures in Ghent consisted of lots of lots of stair climbing to the top of the Belfry in the Church of St. Nicholas. To reach the top of the 11th-century Belfry, we had to climb 350 stairs in a very cramped spiral staircase that had people moving in two directions. While the climb was treacherous, it was worth the amazing view of Ghent. We were able to see the old part of Ghent and compare it to the new industrial side of Ghent. It is amazing to think how much time this church has stood for. In fact, the church bell played different beat patterns of music to detect if invaders were approaching the city.
Continuing on our tour, we went next door to the Church of Saint Bravos that had the famous Ghent Altarpiece or also known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. This beautiful art piece that was completed in the 13th century by Jan van Eyck was made on wood and has had been restored many times. However, this piece of art has famously known for how many times pieces of it had been stolen. In fact, two of the panels, “The Just Judges” and “St. John the Baptist” has been stolen, but one piece to this day is still missing.
Lastly, we visited the beautiful Gravensteen Fortress, that stands over and dominates many buildings in Ghent and is known for its torture chambers. It dates to 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. Since then it has been re-purposed as a court, prison, mint, and even as a cotton factory. The fortress was built by Philip of Alsace, who was a count of Flanders from 1143 to 1191. This count was known for being romantic, for being a workaholic, and for his Crusade on the Holy Land of Jerusalem.All in all, today was very educational and ongoing. Today we walked 4 miles, walked about 10,600 steps, and 34 flights of stairs. We will most definitely have a great night of sleep!
- Natalie Ross
Public Health Abroad! 