Rooftops, Spires, and Façades, The Architecture of Ghent, Belgium

architecture ghent belgium building facades
Facing the River Lys, the stunning architecture of Ghent, Belgium

As we strolled around Ghent all day today, I was struck by the joyous anarchy of its architecture. Yes, you could say there was a basic Flemish style to all the façades and rooflines and spires, but that style was merely a jumping off point for convention shattering imagination. One of the most interesting cities we've visited.

architecture ghent st bavo cathedral
Saint Bavo's Cathedral, home of the Ghent Altarpiece.

St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium, is home to the spectacular Ghent Altarpiece. But it also has some very nice windows and a nice organ. I really love how the pipes are hung high on the wall in many medieval churches. It makes them part of the architecture and decoration, instead of a mere musical instrument, no?

architecture ghent bell tower belgium
The outside of Saint Bavo's, and the bell tower. Just as beautiful from the outside.

We spent a month driving around Belgium in the spring of 2014.

I remember thinking as we were walking around Ghent that it was a “poor man's Bruges.” But that's selling it way short. It's beautiful in its own right, and it benefits from having significantly fewer tourists than Bruges. Which we always like.

And, there's the Ghent Altarpiece, made famous in the book and movie The Monuments Men (which I highly recommend, btw. The book, not the movie. The movie was ok, but if you really like history of art, get the book.)

You can read a lot more about Ghent and the other places we visited in Belgium by clicking the link.

Get a tour of Ghent highlights by clicking one of the links below.

You can help yourself get ready for your own travels by reading our Get Started Planning Your Trip Now page.

We love traveling–with the right gear. We've gathered a lot of the stuff we use to make travel more pleasant and efficient all on one page. Shop our Travel Past 50 Amazon page to find our favorite gear. If you purchase something from the store, Travel Past 50, as an Amazon affiliate, may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks.

We never leave home without our travel insurance. Nor should you. Search for the travel insurance from Allianz that best meets your needs, whether it be an annual plan or a single trip.

Note: This post and other posts on TravelPast50.com may contain paid or affiliate advertising links.

Up Your Travel Skills

Looking to book your next trip? Use these resources that are tried and tested by us.

First, to get our best travel tips, sign up for our email newsletter.

Then, be sure to start your reading with our Resources Page where we highlight all the great travel companies and products that we trust.

Travel Accessories: Check out our list of all the accessories we carry to make getting there and being there a lot easier.

Credit Cards: See our detailed post on how to choose the right travel rewards credit card for you.

Flights: Start finding the very best flight deals by subscribing to Thrifty Traveler.

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with Booking.com.

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. We recommend Allianz Travel Insurance.

See all of the gear and books we like in one place on our Amazon shop.

2 thoughts on “Rooftops, Spires, and Façades, The Architecture of Ghent, Belgium”

  1. Wow, great, great photo! I was in Ghent about 16 years ago but I barely remember it. Belgium is not a country I’ve thought much about going back to, probably since it’s so close to London where I grew up, but this architecture…just gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Thanks, Sam. We didn’t think much about Belgium either until we ran into a rep of Visit Flanders and she showed us the promotion for the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. And since my father and Kris’s uncle were both in World War II in Belgium, we decided to come. We’ve divided the tour into the war part and the culture part. Ghent is the latter. Cheers!

      Reply

Leave a Comment

If you liked this post, please share it.

Thanks.