Few people can imagine Ghent the way it was a hundred years ago, full of smoking factory chimneys and densely populated tenements.
The flourishing industrial city of the time has left us a few gems of heritage that we can explore today. So why not take a walk to discover the amazing industrial history of the city?
Did you know that the current NEST was once a station? The Castle of the Counts a cotton mill? The Kruidvat shop in Veldstraat a real cinema? And the current A.M. Club an electric substation?
It is high time that people from Ghent and visitors to the city look around and up more often and can proudly look back on a glorious industrial past.
So pick up the free walking map in the Museum of Industry or at the tourism information point on Veerleplein. You will also find a few great places along the way to stop for a snack and a drink, have a peaceful break or – why not? – take a selfie. Have fun!
Distance: 7 km | Time: 2 hours
The ‘beluik’ on Regattenlaan in the 1970s © AMSAB, Marcus Haenebalcke collection