A European metropolis from 1200 till 1500

Wondering why the third son of king Edward III is called John of Gaunt? Has this “Gaunt” anything to do with Ghent? Well, yes! His godfather was the famous Ghentian merchant and politician Jacob van Artevelde, who more or less saved the city from ruin around 1340. Discover the city of merchants who were rich enough to be friends with the English king, and with many more.

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1340 was a moment of success for the city of Ghent, although it had to bear the consequences of the war between England and France. From 1200 till 1500 merchants thrived doing business with all big western European traders. You can still see the impressive remains of that time: the Castle of the Counts, lots of churches, like the Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, the medieval port, the Great Butchers’ Hall, the corn warehouse with the oldest stepped gable of Belgium.

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