Full moon at the Castle of the Counts in Ghent by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Full moon at the Castle of the Counts in Ghent"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

Ghent is the capital and largest centre city of the Belgian province of East Flanders.

Ghent grew out of Celtic settlements in the area of the confluence of the Lys and Scheldt rivers. In the Middle Ages, driven by a flourishing wool industry, Ghent grew into one of the largest cities in Europe. The flax and linen industry and the staple right to grain that Ghent acquired also contributed significantly to its prosperity. After a brief Calvinist period, the city experienced a certain decline that only turned around towards the end of the 18th century, when the cotton industry made Ghent one of the first industrial cities in continental Europe. The Pacification of Ghent (1576) and the Peace of Ghent (1814) were signed in the city.

The Castle of the Counts is a fortified moated castle with narrow tower steps, substantial battlements, imaginative rooms and a mighty view, located in the heart of the East Flemish city of Ghent. It is the only remaining medieval castle in Flanders and possesses a virtually intact defence system. The current castle dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. It was later repurposed as a court, prison, mint printing house and even a cotton factory.

It was restored in 1893-1903, and no one has lived there for centuries. Yet it is not an empty or abandoned building: even today there is a lot to do! It is now a museum and is a major tourist attraction in the city. Of the castle, the gatehouse, the rampart wall, the keep, the count's residence and the stables are open to visitors.