Ghent and Dinant

4 June 2017 ,Ghent

We drove from Den Haag to Ghent. It only took 2 hours to reach Ghent. We parked our car in Ibis Hotel Centrum Opera. From there, we can easily walk to old town.

First thing we saw is the magnificent St. Niklaaskerk. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ghent. Built in 13^th century, it is a beautiful Scheldt Gothic example. St. Niklaaskerk is one of the famous three towers of Ghent. We can enter the church for free.

Next to St. Niklaaskerk is the Stadshal (City Hall). It is a large square with a unique design canopy. At that time we visited, there was a small fair. They sold paintings, food and art & craft. We enjoyed looking at this fair while listening to the music by the street musicians. At the other side of Stadshal, there was Belfry. The 91 metre tall Belfry of Ghent is one of three towers of Ghent and the tallest tower in Belgium.

From Belfry, we went to St. Baafs Kathedral. We have already seen the two towers of Ghent, and the third tower is belongs to St. Baafs Kathedral. St. Baafs Kathedral is the most important building in Ghent’s old town. Besides its magnificent façade, one of the most important things in this Cathedral is the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. It is an altarpiece that was painted by Van Eyck brothers. 

Another beautiful church that is not far from the Cathedral is St. Jacobskerk. It is a monumental church featuring 12th-century Romanesque towers & a 13th-century Gothic central spire. Not far from here, there is a nice square, Vrijdag Square, surrounded with beautiful old buidlings that serve as shops, cafés and restaurants. In one corner of the square, we can see the Dulle Griet, a medieval gun that was constructed in 15^th century.

This area was really nice to explore. Nice buildings along the way. The Leie River added the town’s beauty. Many boats cruised along the river. We walked along the Leie River. Until we reach Gravensteen. The must visit in Ghent.



Gravensteen is a medieval castle. It was built in 10^th century. First, they built the castle from wood and later they replaced it with stone.We bought tickets from the ticket office and then we follow the route sign to the castle. The route sign is a good thing so we have an organized route and do not miss a single thing. Inside, we can visit the armoury museum, where we can see all the weapons that they used in the past. In the torture room we can learn how they treated their enemies. One of the best parts of the castle is the rooftop terrace, where we can get a nice view of part of the castle and the city. On the day we visited, there was a blacksmith exhibition, so we can watch how they make tools from scratch.

After spending about one hour in Gravensteen, we continued to Rabot. Rabot is a famous moument in Ghent that was built in 1491. We can only see this building from the outside as it is not accessible to the public.

From Rabot, we went back to the old town. Bought waffle, the must eat in Belgium. Before we went back to the hotel, we stopped by at Soup Lounge and try their tasty soup.

5 May 2017, Dinant

We drove 1.5 hours to Citadel Dinant. We parked our car for free in the citadel. Then we bought ticket for cable car and citadel. We went down, cross the bridge which has many saxophones on its side and got a great view of the citadel.

Before we explore the citadel, we decided to have lunch first. Since it was a public holiday, not every restaurant opened. We had our quick lunch in one of the small resto not far from the train station. The Citadel was also can be reach easily by train from Ghent. From the train station to the citadel only need less then 10 minutes walking.

We started with the Cathedral. Like other gothic style building, this cathedral was no exception had a beautiful design with beautiful detailed decoration. Its location, on the banks of River Meuse as a foreground and the cliff as a background, make it a breathtaking sight. The cathedral was built in around 1100. Inside, we can see the magnificent stained glass and the beautiful altar.

The Citadel of Dinant is a fortress located that was built in 1815. Its location on the cliff was good for defend. Plus we can get a nice a birdeyes view of Dinant. There was a guided tour inside the citadel in French and Dutch. On the site, there was a playground and small café and restaurant, make it a good place for a family trip.

From Dinant Citadel we drove for another 1.5 hours to reading between the lines church in Limburg. It is not actually a church, but rather an art installation. It was designed by Belgian architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh. Depending on the perspective of the viewer, the church is either perceived as a massive building, or dissolves into the landscape. It is presence and also absent. It was a unique concept and design. Its location was also nice, with a great view and nice spot to have a picnic.