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58 Route 6. GHENT. Inner Town:
long years. Thousands of the citizens had already emigrated under
Alva’s rule in 1567, and one-half of the houses now stood empty.
In 1678, 1708, and 1745 Ghent was captured by the French.
Lonis XVIII. resided at Ghent during the ‘Hundred Days’ (1845).
a. The Inner Town.
In the gardens opposite the E. side of the Gare du Sud (PI. D,5;
p. 53) stands a monument to Count Oswald de Kerchove de Denterghem,
the botanist, by Jef Lambeaux. — The inner town, known as the
Cuve de Gand, is enclosed by the Lys and the W. arm of the Scheldt
(Haut-Escaut), the latter of which in the early middle ages here
marked the boundary between Flanders and the German empire
(comp. p. 3). It is approached by two modern streets: the busy
Ruz pz Fianpre (Viaanderen-Straat; Pl. D, 5; tramway No. 4,
p. 54), coming from the Gare du Sud, and the wide Ruz Dicus-
DB-BRaABANT (Pl. D, 5; tramway No. 2). Both of these lead to the
Prace Laursnt (Laurent-Plaats; Pl. D, 4, 5), a square built over
a covered arm of the Scheldt and embellished with monuments
to Fr. Laurent (1810-87), the lawyer and philanthropist, with
symbolical figures in relief, by Jul. van Biesbroeck (1908), and
L. Bawwens (1769-1822), the industrialist, by P. de Vigne-Quyo
(1885). On the N. side of the Place rises the CHATEAU DB G&RARD
LE DiaBxk& or Geeraard-Duivelsteen (Pl. D, 4), a stronghold of 1246,
recently restored (1886-93) and now used for the provincial ar-
chives. To inspect the interesting crypt, apply to the Concierge,
Rue Chateau de Gérard-le-Diable (fee 30 c.). — Further on to the
N.W. rises the
*Cathedral of St. Bavon, or Sint Baafs (Pl. D, 4), a massive
edifice of plain exterior, founded in the 10th cent. and dedicated to
Sint Jans until 1540, but from 1559 the cathedral of Ghent. The
crypt dates from the 11th or 12th cent., the choir from the 13th;
the nave and transepts were completed in 1533-59. In 1666 the
church suffered severely from Puritanical outrages. The W. tower
(260 ft. high), dating from 1462-1534, lost its spire in 1602
through fire. — Admission, see p. 55; in the afternoon visitors
should knock with the iron ring attached to the middle door in
the W. portal.
The Inrsrior is of noble proportions and the differently col-
oured stones and bricks produce a highly picturesque effect. The
choir, built of blue limestone, rests on massive square pillars with
projecting half-columns, while the naye and transepts, of white
limestone and brick, have clustered columns and groined vaulting.
In the Nays, to the right, is the Pulpit (1745), by Lor. Delvaux
of Ghent, halfin oak, half in marble, representing the Tree of Know-
ledge, with an allegory of Time and Truth; it is the best example
of Belgian sculpture in the 18th century. — In the aisles are altar- |