THE CONGRESS OF THE

EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE - COMPANION ANIMALS

GHENT

Ghent (in Dutch : Gent) is the fourth largest city of Belgium with about 250.000 inhabitants. It is not as big as Antwerp but bigger than Bruges. It is also less famous among tourists than the often praised Bruges.

However, for some people Ghent is the real diamond of Flanders and  Belgium. In a unique way, Ghent has managed to preserve its medieval power while keeping up with the times. The city center alone is a showcase of medieval Flemish wealth and commercial success. Modern Ghent certainly cannot be overlooked in Belgium. The city has an important harbor, thanks to the canal Ghent-Terneuzen which allows sea-going vessels to bring their products to the city and its industrial hinterland. Because of the central location in the country, the 'Flanders Technology' fair can regularly be organized. The Belgian State University (RUG = Rijksuniversiteit Gent) continues to grow in importance. The presence of so many young people and students has turned Ghent into an important Flemish cultural center.

Ghent is also the flower city of Belgium. Flower growers from the region around Ghent sell their beautiful begonia's and azalea's all over the world. Every 5 years the successful 'Gentse Floraliën" ( Ghent Flower Show) attracts thousands to the city.The tourist will not have eyes enough to admire the awesome architectural wealth , which offers a splendid combination of impressiveness and idyllic charm of the proud and (in former times) often rebellious city of Ghent. 

The people of Ghent proudly wear the nickname 'Stropke', which is actually the round part of the rope through which a convict has to stick his head before being hanged. The citizens of Ghent received this name because of the punishment inflicted on the city by its most famous citizen, Emperor Charles V.

In 1537 Ghent had refused to pay more taxes for a new war of Charles V against the king of France. To deal with his rebellious birth-city for once and for all, Charles V had the city walls destroyed. He also abolished most of the city's privileges and ordered the most important citizens to appear before him to ask for mercy while carrying a rope around their necks, as a sign that they were ready to be hanged if the Emperor would order it.

The punishment was not new. The people of Ghent had already experienced this under one of their former rulers. The first to do it, was Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy in 1458, and this is to what the people of Ghent refer.  Duke Philip was punishing the citizens for their uprising of 1448.  He had already defeated the city in the bloody Battle of the Gavere in 1453, where upwards of 10,000 of Ghent's soldiers died, but Philip withheld the city's rights and privileges (a virtual shut-down in trade) until a major ceremony staged in 1458 to garner the Duke's forgiveness.

At the onset of this ceremony, Duke Philip marched the leaders of the city and its guilds outside the city walls, stripped them to their undergarments, had them kneel in the mud wearing nooses around their necks, and pledge to him eternal allegiance.  After this, they led him through Ghent's streets, decorated with banners and torches and dramatized mythological and biblical scenes, including a live-action version of the Van Eycks' Ghent Altarpiece as the centerpiece.

As Ghent is a part of Flanders, the main language is Dutch. Many of the inhabitants will be happy to answer you in English and/or French. German is also quite prevalent.

By Train

Ghent is only a 30-minute train ride away from Brussels and is on the line from Brussels to Bruges and the coast. If you're planning to visit Bruges and Brussels, definitely stop over in Ghent as well. There are also direct trains to Brussels Airport, Antwerp, Lille and Paris.

There are two train stations in Ghent, Gent-Dampoort and Gent-Sint-Pieters. To get from Gent-Sint-Pieters to to the centre, take the tram 

If you're visiting from Bruges, it's much cheaper to get a return ticket at weekends, when there's a special rate.

By Car

The dense highway network in Belgium allows you to access Ghent easily by car. Two main highways E40 (Liege-Brussels-Ghent-Bruges-Ostend) and E17 (Antwerp-Ghent-Courtai-Lille) cross at Ghent. Brussels and Antwerp are 40 min away, Bruges 30 min. During rush hour you can easily double this times.

On Foot

The center of Ghent is quite small, so you can walk around on foot.

By Bicycle

A bicycle is the recommended way to get around in Ghent. However, there are many roads with cobblestones that make cycling a shaking experience. Nevertheless, you will see you are not alone on your bike: many inhabitants are using bikes to get around. Even the former mayor uses his bicycle all day! There are many bike stands around to make it easy to lock your bike (important!). Many one-way roads are made two-way for bikes.

Public Transportation

The transport system is Ghent is excellent and always on time. A single ticket costs € 1.50 if bought in the bus/tram or € 1.20 if bought from ticket machine of small kiosk called lijnwinkel, such ticket is valid for an hour's travel on all trams and buses. The trams are the quickest and most comfortable way to travel, especially from the railway station to the city centre.

Note that if the bus/tram stop has a ticket machine, you will have to buy the ticket there, as the bus/tram driver will not sell you one in this case.

Ghent has an unususal type of transport, trolleybus, that can be attraction on its own. It runs on rubber tires but gets its power from an overhead line as a tram. Trolleybus vehicles run through the town centre. Trolleybus is operated by the same company as bus and tram, so the same tickets are accepted.

The transportation company is De Lijn.

In the Lijnwinkel kiosk (located near Sint-Pieters train station), you can get free map of city and surroundings, with all bus, trolley-bus and tram lines.

Unless you know what you are doing or have a good book, get the tour. There are a couple of walking tours which are great.

Great places are the three towers of Ghent: the cathedral of St. Bavo (with the famous medieval altarpiece painting 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'), the church of St. Nicholas and the Belfort (Belfry). The Graslei and Korenmarkt are fine places to walk and relax along the river while you admire 13th century trading houses. Also the Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts) and Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market) are must-sees. Around the medieval core of the city, there is also lots of impressive 18th and 19th century architecture. Especially the 'socialist' Jugendstill/Art Nouveau buildings from around 1900 like Vooruit are unique in their kind.

Ghent has two castles, Gravensteen and Gerard de duivelsteen. Near Gravensteen you'll find very nice neighbourhood called Patershol. It has a sphere of small medieval town.

It also has a Museum of Modern Art, named S.M.A.K. (Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst)

The Gentse Feesten (Festivities of Ghent)10 days of free festivals all around the historical centre of Ghent, during the second part of July. Millions of visitors are coming from everywhere to enjoy this big city party.

Use-It Guide Use-It provides a great guide for young travelers. Stop by their office or print out a free guide at use-it.be.

Ghent provides an excellent and affordable sample of Flemish cuisine, which in the eyes of the locals is one of Europe's finest as it combines French delicacy with German sturdiness. Try some local specialties like mussels, spare ribs or 'stoverij' (a kind of tender meat cooked for three hours in dark beer with a brown gravy) with French fries - or, should I say, Belgian fries.

Another dish from Ghent is the "Gentse waterzooi" (litt. "boiled water from Ghent"), which was the food for the poor originally, a stew of cheap fish (usually turbot) and vegetables.

The restaurants on Korenmarkt are a good deal, reasonably priced; the real upmarket restaurants are to be found in the 14th century quarter called 'Patershol', near the Castle. There is also a big Turkish community in Ghent, centred around Sleepstraat a bit further north, which is home to numerous Turkish pizza places. They are amazingly cheap for the delicious food you get and sometimes even better than in Turkey.

For authentic pubs, go to St. Veerleplein (the square in front of the Castle), the pubs around St. Jacob's church (especially during weekends), or the student area around Blandijnberg (Mount Blandin), especially in the proximity of the School of Arts and Philosophy, recognisable from afar by the 64 metres tall art deco Library Tower.

  Waterhuis aan de bierkant (The Waterhouse on the beerside), Groentenmarkt 9 (near the Castle), Tel +32 9 225 06 80 waterhuis.aan.de.bierkant@skynet.be,. Boasts about 400 different kinds of Belgian beer, but is fairly touristy.

  De Galgenhuis (the Gallows house) near Waterhuis aan de Bierkant is a tiny tavern in a lean-to built on to the Gothic Butchers' Hall. A good selection of draught and bottled beers.

  't Dreupelkot, Groentenmarkt 12 (near the Castle), Tel +32 9 224 21 20 dreupelkot@skynet.be, 200 kinds of Belgian geneva, a number of which is home made. Try the pepper geneva if you are a tough guy/girl (be cautious!). Pol, the owner, is a friendly guy, altough it might look the other way at first sight. Around € 2 for a geneva.

  Overpoortstraat is a street packed with 34 pubs and bars where during the week (especially Wednesday and Thursday nights) all the students go crazy. Because on Thursday it is so crowdy over there, dancing usually happens on the tables. Some notorious bars/clubs are the Cuba Libre (commercial, R&B,...), Decadance (house, techno, drum&bass), Twieoo (alternative).

  Hemelsbreed Verschil, Stalhof 31-33 (near the Overpoortstraat). The official pub for Erasmus students from over Europe. Free internet access available.

  Avoid the pubs on the Korenmarkt, as they are very random, at best boring and sometimes really tacky. A good exception on this, is the Jazz pub Damberd.

Telephone

If you want to call to North America, find the "Club Plus" card. Do not be talked into any other card. They are usually found at the nightshops (Nacht Winkels). You can get more than 200 minutes to North America for 5 Euros from a payphone. This is great since payphones cost quite a lot if you just insert money