By Paola Kathuria
The pictures below have been taken with permission from GHENT and its beauties. They are collected here in order to give you an idea of what it was like to stay in Ghent. They include sights that we saw on the way to the workshop venue or during the evening activities.
An aerial view of Ghent. Ghent was founded in the 7th century around the abbeys of Saint Baaf and Saint Peter, when it was known as Ganda.
The Cathedral of Saint Baaf. Its chapel, built in 942, was dedicated to John the Baptist.
Ghent has a stunning array of buildings in gothic and rennaisance style, which we enjoyed on a river tour one evening.
An example of one of the many beautiful buildings in Ghent, in a style which becomes quickly familiar, is the Guild Hall of non-independent shippers. It has a baroque facade which dates back to 1739, and has a sailing ship as its weathercock.
This amazing building is the town’s post office. It was built in neo-gothic style in 1910.
Another sight on our river tour, the Castle of the Counts (Gravenkasteel), originally built around 868.
An aerial view of the Castle of the Counts.
Our surprise evening activity was to visit the town hall and to receive an official and warm welcome from the town.
In the town hall’s reception salon, we were treated with champagne and orange juice as we listened to a speech by the local technology councillor.
This portrait of the Empress Maria Theresa was on view in the reception salon. In the picture, she is wearing Flemish lace made by Ghent orphans.
We were then taken on a tour of the town hall, and were shown the Pacification Room, in which the De Keure magistrates held their hearings. The labyrinth floor was used during the hearings.