Art & Architecture

Museum of Fine Arts Ghent

Ghent has several museums of note, with SMAK (Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art) being the best-known and the most notorious for its bold and original exhibitions of both Belgian and international artists, including Hockney, Bacon and Beuys. Also worth a visit are the recently-renovated MSK (Museum of Fine Arts) for its 15th to 20th century Flemish art collection and MIAT (Museum of Industrial Archaeology and Textiles), housed in an old cotton mill, which tracks the evolution from the industrial revolution to the present day.

However, the highlight, because it is undoubtedly the best example in Flanders, is the Design Museum. Hidden behind a magnificent 18th century facade is a modern building packed with design pieces dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, superb Art Nouveau and Art Deco collections, as well as late 20th century pieces and even contemporary works by the likes of Philippe Starck and Ron Arad. Buy a Ghent museum card for Euros 16.50, valid for three days, and make sure you see them all.

With more listed buildings than any other Belgian city, there is plenty to see by way of architecture in Ghent. Gravensteen, the Castle of the Counts, which is the only medieval fortress in Flanders, is a great place to start. This 12th century castle with its battlements is full of character, not to mention armoury and torture chambers; being right in the heart of the city, it rarely saw action, hence its virtually pristine condition.

Wander round the area known as Patershol and you will find yourself following the original 15th century street patterns; though most of the current buildings date to the 17th century, when inhabitants were given grants to replace the original wooden structures with stone ones. Homes for the working classes from the 18th century onwards, Patershol fell into a general state of disrepair in the 20th century, until the 1970s saw the homes bought privately and renovated; the area is now considered very chic.

Elsewhere, you will find particularly beautiful buildings on Graslei (Herb Quay) and Korenlei (Corn Quay), both of which are lined with houses dating to the Flemish Renaissance and before. To the east lies St Niklaaskerk, an outstanding example of 13th century Gothic architecture, and the Staduis (Town Hall), designed to be the largest of its kind in Europe, which is a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. Not forgetting the 14th century Belfry and the late Gothic St Baafskathedraal, which was built over six centuries in the Middle Ages.