Ghent and WWI

Directions

Ghent and WWI

1. From the station to the Citadel Park
This walk along a large number of highlights of Ghent also shows you a number of memories of the Great War. Starting point is the Sint-Pieters station at the Koningin Maria Hendrikaplein, easy to reach by train, tram or bus. Those who come by car can park it in the large underground car park. And you can't ignore it: the station itself and its surroundings are being seriously overhauled during a mega multi-year plan. With your back to the station, take the Koningin Astridlaan diagonally to the right, until you reach the Kortrijksesteenweg. Cross this busy road and the Fortlaan and step past the statue of King Baudouin into the Citadel Park. Go through a gazebo, step up the stairs and go up to the left and then diagonally right via the Paul Bergmansdreef to the playground at the back of the Casino. This Party Palace (with the cycling track of the Kuipke and the current art in the SMAK) was built for the World Exhibition.

2. Through the arts quarter
Walk around the playground and take the sloping path towards the Kuipke entrance at a fire hydrant. You pass the artificial rocks with a bilingual memorial for the fallen of 1914-1918 from the district. Turn around the Kuipke with the Eugène Felixdreef and then take the Gustaaf Vanaisedreef diagonally left with a view of the Feestpaleis and the museum corner with the SMAK and the KMSK. This is how you end up at the city ring, the Charles De Kerchovelaan. Cross at the traffic lights to the massive Leopold barracks (just purchased by the province, further used for art studios and rehearsal rooms) and walk straight ahead into the atmospheric Kunstlaan with the style facades. Fully in the student area, you cross diagonally straight through the busy intersection with the Overpoortstraat (exit area), the Sint-Amandstraat and the Kramersplein to the Sint-Pietersplein. On this event square with underground parking you will find the World of Kina (children's museum), St. Peter's Abbey (arts center), St. Peter's Church and university buildings.

3. The Walloon Krook and the library
On the other side of the square you follow the Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat, past the Blandijnberg (faculty of arts and philosophy), the Rozier with the book tower of Henry Van de Velde, the rectorate of Ghent University, the former printing house Vooruit and the Feestpaleis Vooruit. After the Vooruit, turn right into Lammerstraat. Descending slightly to the South, past the past glory of the Winter Circus on the left. Many sight lines come together on the Marcellis bridge over the Scheldt: on the right the concert hall of the Vooruit and the rear of the St. Peter's Abbey, straight ahead the Zuidkwartier and on the left "De Krook" the new experience library. Cross the Kuiperskaai and then continue straight on Woodrow Wilsonplein past the Shoppingcenter Gent Zuid (shops and offices), with a view of the administrative center, the former library and concert hall Capitole. Turn left into Vlaanderenstraat, with a piece of red light district on the other side. On the seven-step further on, the Lippensplein, you turn left into the Brabantdam, a more chic shopping street. Halfway there are benches on the left, near facades with a memorial plaque and colorful memories of WWI and with a view of the Scheldt and the Walloon Krook.

4. St Bavo's Cathedral and the sheepfold
Cross over to Place François Laurent and walk past the Provincial House to the intersection with the statue of Lieven Bauwens. Leave Sint-Baafs for a while and cross over to the Bar, between the Geeraard de Duivelsteen and the VlerickHogeschool (former seminary). Turn left across the bridge to the Bisdomplein and to the right of the bishop's palace into the Hoofdkerkstraat. Turn left, past St Bavo's Cathedral. On Sint-Baafsplein, take a look at a hidden corner on the right in the Biezekapelstraat: the Grote Sikkel with the music conservatory.
Past the NTGent theatre and the catering establishments you step to the Belfry. Before you turn right into the Belfortstraat in the medieval cockpit of the city at the classicist-Gothic town hall, you will of course take a look at the new hotspot: the Stadshal, nicknamed the sheepfold.
Follow the Belfortstraat to the Vlasmarkt and turn left around the Sint-Jacobskerk, the ancient heart of the Gentse Feesten, with flea market on weekends. Past the column, a creation by Walter De Buck for that other folk singer Karel Waeri, turn right into the Wijzemanstraat, to the Vrijdagmarkt with the Poetry Centre in Het Toreken, the statue of Jacob van Artevelde and the Volkshuis Bond Moyson. Cross the market diagonally towards Groot Kanon and turn right onto the Zuivelbrug, to the moody Kraanlei with the House of Alijn (museum) and some art galleries. Turn left along the water, direction Vleeshuisbrug, with a few crossings to the Patershol on the right. You arrive at the Gravensteen on Sint-Veerleplein, with the tourist office in the Oude Vismijn. Cross the bridge on the left to the Groot Vleeshuis (with regional products centre) and take the Vleeshuistragel just before in this pedestrian zone. You arrive at the Grasbrug and take it to the right. Over the bridge you do not turn right to the Design museum, but turn left onto the Korenlei. With a view of the most iconic place: the Graslei with the centuries-old guild houses. Walk along the slate to the large stone bridge, the Sint-Michielsbrug.

5. From the towers to the Bijloke
To be able to take the picture of the three towers (Sint-Niklaaskerk, Belfort and Sint-Baafs) you have to go up the Sint-Michielsbrug. Cross the bridge towards Korenmarkt and the former Post building, but still turn right into Veldstraat. Not for shopping, but immediately on the right into the Van Stopenberghestraat, to the Predikherenlei. With a view of the Sint-Michielskerk and the back of the Building you walk left to the Predikherenbrug and over the bridge immediately left onto the Ajuinlei. Always straight along the water, past the old Palace of Justice, via the Recollettenlei and the Lindenlei. Walking through the city, looking up is sometimes recommended. At the beginning of the Lindelei there is a beautiful statue of the "Naked Diver" on top of the roof of house number 2. On the other side of this statue (other bank of the Lys) is the counterpart of the diver. The statue was purchased from London artist Ronald Cameron and is called the "Diving Lady".
At the end of the Lindenlei is the monument of Michaël Lustig for the victims of the Holocaust during WW II in a park.

Continue straight across the bridge, cross the Coupure Left and continue straight along the Leie and the buildings of the former Bijloke hospital via the Albert Baertsoenkaai. At music center De Bijloke at the signs "Bijloke Site / Bijloke Kaai" turn right onto the Bijloke site. At the back left of the lawn is the STAM (City Museum). Walk along the façade of the museum, go up the stairs to the city ring and turn right there, in the Godshuizenlaan. At the traffic lights you cross the Louis Pasteurlaan and then the Bijlokehof. Then you cross the Martyrslaan which you follow to the right.
Past the Freinet Middle School – with statue for the "Kulderkes" (Ghent orphan boys) and a plaque for Italian fallen - take the first side street on the left, the Offerlaan. Halfway along the Offerlaan is on the right the "Execution place of the 1914-1918", the execution site of WWI. Walk out of the street, turn left on the Neermeerskaai and then right over the Koning Albert bridge. The Koning Albertlaan now takes you back to your departure point at Sint-Pieters station.

Start and end of the route

Nearest address to start: Pr. Clementinalaan 140, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Nearest address to end: Kon. Elisabethlaan 150, 9000 Ghent, Belgium