Ghent is one of the largest cities of Flanders, the Dutch speaking region of Belgium ("heart of the European Union").
Ghent is situated at the crossroads of two of Europe's most important motorways - the E40 connects London with Central- and Eastern-Europe; the E17 runs from Copenhagen to Lisbon. Paris is at about 300 km, Amsterdam at 200 km, Koeln 250 km. Paris to Brussels is less than an hour by TGV-Thalys. National and international trains stop in Ghent, which is located right in between Brussels (50 km) and the coast (Ostend, 50 km). Also at another 50 km from Antwerp, Ghent is easily reached by car. The city has an extensive public transport network serving the city center and surrounding areas.
It can be no coincidence that Ghent, the capital of East-Flanders, was given several pretty names: historic heart of Flanders, a city of all times, one of the most beautiful historic cities in Europe. The city combines an impressive past with a vivid present. Numerous tourists visit Ghent and use the city's extensive accommodation.
In the Middle Ages, Ghent was the most important city for cloth, which amongst other things made Ghent one of the largest and richest cities of Northern Europe. Until the 13th century it was the biggest city in Europe after Paris; it was bigger than London, Cologne or Moscow. Today it still is a busy city with a port and a university. The city is connected to the sea by the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal.
Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Ghent established a nice blend between comfort of living and history - it is not a "city-museum". The historic heart of the city offers many places of interest. From St.-Michael's bridge, there is a wonderful view of the skyline of Ghent, with the three impressive towers of St.-Nicholas' church, the Belfry with its bell tower and St.-Bavo's cathedral with the world-famous painting "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by the van Eyck brothers. Traces of the Middle Ages were preserved at many places. The old port with its guildhalls on the "Graslei" and "Korenlei" is merely one example of the beautiful views this town has to offer. Not far from the "Graslei" arises the Castle of the Counts, once the medieval fortress of the Count of Flanders. Nowadays it is a major tourist attraction.
Ghent, the biggest city of East-Flanders, also has several museums, abbeys, beguinages, dozens of churches and other historical buildings, an opera house, theaters,..., as well as many hospitals, schools and shopping streets.
Not only art lovers but everyone can find something here to suit their taste. The city offers a lot of shops, restaurants; and an exciting nightlife.
Since 1997, Ghent has chosen to make the city center a low-traffic zone, rendering the historical center even more attractive for residents, visitors and shoppers.
As most belgian cities, Ghent offers a rich variety of local and foreign cuisine. The neighbourhood "Patershol" e.g. offers some interesting restaurants. The "Sleepstraat" a little bit further north houses a number of Turkish restaurants and food bars. More and more tourism becomes a major segment of employment.
Ghent can be discovered by boat, carriage, bicycle or on foot. The official language in Ghent is Dutch, but most people also speak a bit of English, French and/or German. The belgian currency unit is the euro. There are exchange offices and banks in the city center. Credit cards are accepted in most places. Most if not all prices in Belgium include VAT and service.
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