August 1, 2015 - Ghent, Belgium - Belgium Private Tour

This morning we headed to Ghent/Gent, Belgium.  I am not sure what the correct spelling is you see it both ways.

They also have some houseboats on their canals.

This is a FREE public restroom.  Francis told us that all the public restrooms in Ghent are free (unlike Brussels and Bruges).

As you can see this part of the canal is not deep.

Belfry

Our first stop was the Cathedral of St. Bavo (Sint-Baafskathedraal) which is the main church of Ghent (they have many churches within the a short distance of each other).

Father Damien was a Fleish missionary who went to Hawaii to care for lepers.

Rubens' Entrance of St. Bavo into the Monastery of Ghent

The Rococo pulpit representing the tree of life and the tree of knowledge.

Ghent Music School

City Hall

We again saw a few brides today.  It was a beautiful day for a wedding.

St. Nicholas's Church

Korenmarkt is being turned into a big shopping mall

The stone building is the oldest building in Ghent.

I got excited thinking that maybe this was some long lost relatives but then realized there was only on l.

Castle of the Counts (Gravensteen) has had many lives.  Built in 1180 as a fortress then a jail and then a textile factory now it is a museum of torture.

Fish market

Roger feels right at home with a red Bulldog.

More pictures of the Castle of the Counts.

The door into the castle.

We just walked in to the area before you have to pay to see what it looked like inside. If we had more time it would have probably been interesting to go through the museum.

Meat Hall (Groot Vleehuis) has two eyes and a nose.

 There was not one nail used to put this wooden vaulted rafters together.  There wasn't much inside.

The facades on the right side features panels showing the five senses and the one on the left has 6 panels demonstrating six virtuous acts.  The seventh, burying the dead, is symbolized by the urn on top of the building.

Friday Market Square (Vrijdagmarkt)

Jakob van Artevelde, was a regular buisnessman who in the 14th century negotiated with the king to keep Ghent neutral during the 100 years war so that he could keep the trade going.

House of the People (Ons Huis) is the headquarters for the region's socialist movement.

Because they were holding mass earlier in the crypt at the Cathedral we went back for a visit.

In 1930 they discovered 15th-century paintings under the white wash paint. Calvanists (Protestants) had come through in the 16th century and stripped all of the Catholic churches in Gent of all their adornments.  They thought they could commune better with God this way.

The intricacies of unlocking this trunk.

Test spot to see how the building is holding up as this crypt in below the cathedral.

The carriage waits as the bride is taking pictures inside of the 7th century building.

Sint Baafsabdij (St Bavo's Abbey)

We were not able to go in because we had to buy a ticket but the tickets were not sold at this location.