Saint Donatus Park. A reclaimed entrance, dignified, solid, and with ornamentation.

Until the French domination, there lived here in a small farm ‘De cleyne Scuttershoeve’ with a cow, the guardian of the guild. The courtyard was enclosed with a small gate. Here stood the Tiense gate and the Saint Michael's Church, and a little further a monastery of the Clarisses. During the French domination, the guilds were abolished and the avenue became a public street. With Napoleon and thereafter, this area became part of significant urbanization plans, and the Houtmarkt / Graanmarkt and the Volksplaats were established here; The city wall that continued here was demolished, and the land was used to fill in the dry moat in the Sint-Jorisdreef. Around 1830, this was a busy trading point and meeting place of the better bourgeoisie.

The main entrance features a rather monumental gate. But it has only been there since 1957 and comes from the former Van de Wynckelecollege in the Tiense street. That year, the college was demolished.

The city park has been enclosed since 1864 with an ornamental fence from the former Vaartpoort.

Jan Rymenams