Grain stack house or 'the Nail' GENT

The Spijker is the oldest building on the Graslei. It has been standing for a good 800 years and is a prime example of Romanesque architecture. It was the grain storage facility of the city.

The name of this building actually refers to that. The Spijker, or Spicarium, is derived from the Latin word spica, which means grain.

Now you might think that the facade has gradually tilted forward over the centuries and that it stands so crooked for reasons of age. However, it is said that the building was intentionally constructed to be slightly tilted for a good reason. Because the grain that needed to be stored here did not all fit on the ground floor, it was also firmly nailed on the higher floors. However, to get the grain to the site, it was hoisted up in bags along the facade. To prevent the grain bags from smashing against the stone facade, the entire facade was built cleanly crooked. A truly challenging task.

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