Ghent’s history is a subject you can keep talking or, in this case, writing about. The fact that Ghent was one of Europe’s most important cities in the Middle Ages can still be felt in the city today. There are plenty of remnants of days gone by in the city: a medieval castle with a moat next to a busy tram line, a cathedral and belfry a stone’s throw from each other, not one but three beguinages and a medieval port. Did you know that Ghent was fairly spared from bombings during the First and Second World Wars? This means its cultural heritage has remained in good condition to this day.

  • When the bones speak

    A woman over a thousand years old had been recovered with no name, no headstone and no jewellery. And yet we were able to get a very close idea about her life by studying her remains. What was supposed to be a small-scale investigation grew into a full-blown detective story in St Peter's Abbey.
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    Dr. Jessica Palmer and Prof. Isabelle De Groote examine human remains in their workspace.

  • Are these the bones of Judith, the first countess of Flanders?

    If you visit St Peter's Abbey today, take note of the commemorative stone plaque behind the bike rack. In it are chiselled the names of the first Margraves (counts) of Flanders and all are said to be buried in the abbey church: Baldwin Iron Arm, Baldwin the Bald, Arnulf I & II... There is no mention of Judith, the first countess, even though she in particular may have lain only a few metres from that location.
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    Bones of woman found during excavations of St. Peter's Square in Ghent

  • A naive teenager, a shrew or a feminist ... who was Judith of Flanders really?

    The Carolingians, the Treaty of Verdun and the invasion of the Vikings: for most of us, the 9th century consists of nothing more than vague echoes from our third year in secondary school, and is therefore a period we're particularly keen to forget about. But once you realise that the people back then were also human beings made of flesh and blood, that's when history actually becomes rock-and-roll. And that's especially true in the case of Judith, the first countess of Flanders.
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    Professor Steven Vanderputten points to a painting of Judith, the first countess of Flanders

  • Ghent as an industrial giant of the past

    Industry and Ghent have been inextricably linked for three centuries. You can discover a great deal of industrial heritage in the city – whether on foot or by bike – and in the Museum of Industry, you will also find industrial treasures from the past.

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    Black and white photo of different factory buildings in Ghent