Photos: Hieronymus Bosch, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain After: Jan van Eyck After: Hubert van Eyck, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo credits
Photos: Hieronymus Bosch, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain After: Jan van Eyck After: Hubert van Eyck, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
The Ghent Altarpiece and the medieval centre
Your local guide
Elise Van den Broeck
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Highlights
- The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, inside the cathedral
- The stolen panel that has never been found
- The Belfry, standing beside the old cloth hall
- Guild houses ringing Vrijdagmarkt
- Dulle Griet, the giant red cannon, explained
About this tour
This session covers Ghent's medieval centre through the Ghent Altarpiece inside Saint Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfry standing beside the old cloth hall. You see the guild houses of Vrijdagmarkt and the giant cannon known as Dulle Griet parked at its edge. It closes with the story of the altarpiece's one panel that has never been found.
The guide checks sound inside the cathedral, then walks to the Belfry and on to Vrijdagmarkt, explaining each site's place in the city's history. Questions can come in about the altarpiece, the tower or the cannon throughout the call. A short list of the sites and their dates is sent on afterwards.
This suits art and history readers wanting the Ghent Altarpiece explained before seeing it. It also suits former visitors who walked past these buildings without knowing their stories.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Ghent before heading out.
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The Ghent Altarpiece 21 min
Inside Saint Bavo's Cathedral the camera holds on the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted by the Van Eyck brothers and still the cathedral's centrepiece. The guide tells the story of one panel stolen in 1934 and never recovered.
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The Belfry and cloth hall 21 min
The camera moves to the Belfry, the UNESCO-listed bell tower standing beside the old cloth hall. The guide explains how the tower's height was a deliberate statement of the city's independence from its counts.
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Vrijdagmarkt and Dulle Griet 21 min
On Vrijdagmarkt the camera circles the guild houses ringing the square before settling on Dulle Griet, a giant red cannon parked at one edge. The guide explains the legend behind the cannon's name and its failed use in battle.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Ghent: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Cuberdon sweets and Patershol, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Brussels time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Ghent, showing you Belfry of Ghent and Gravensteen Castle live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Ghent live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Brussels time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 29 Oct · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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