After breakfast at a bakery near the Grote Markt, "Paul" we approached the Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp. It is rare that a museum is world heritage of Unesco, but this one definitely deserves it. It contains a lot of books, manuscripts, illustrations ... dating back to the XVI century. The museum is located in the house where Christoffel Plantin in 1570 began printing books for the whole kingdom of Spain, ongoing work by the Moretus family. The museum, then, is not only a compilation of many of the printed volumes here, but also presses, fonts and other tools with which they were made. In addition, the palace itself and its decoration are also interesting.
Downstairs there was a temporary exhibition on the Mercator maps, allowing get an idea of how little the world knew the late sixteenth century. Through doors were accessible to the museum grounds, very pretty and also allowed admire the architecture of the seventeenth century.
Museum Plantin-Moretus, gardens
In some rooms you could see the dependencies Plantin, his study, his library where he kept an edition of all his impressions ... In other rooms you could see the tools with which the books were printed: presses, typefaces lead , pans typefaces, illustrations molds ... Finally, they were exposed some of the oldest and most interesting books, like Regia Bible, composed of several volumes printed between 1568 and 1672, with the translation of the biblical text Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on each page.
Museum Plantin-Moretus, typefaces and presses
Museum Plantin-Moretus, Bible Regia
This visit was very pleasant and we enjoyed it, shame we had to do it very fast. We were only an hour, but to see it is well needed time. We had arranged to Gent with Eulalia (Neus's sister) and we could not entertain much.
Then we went to Antwerpen Centraal station to catch the train to Gent, whose way ticket cost us € 9. Note that if you come from Antwerpen (like us), the train stops at Gent-Dampoort, which is the closest to the center stop. However, coming from Brussels, the stop is made in Gent-St. Pieters, a good three quarters of an hour to the center.
See Belgium 5: Gent in a larger map
The first thing we did was go to leave the backpack to our accommodation, which had us pass. It was the B & B Alphabed, very near the center, with the facade in a somewhat dilapidated. When we arrived there was nobody, just a note with a mobile number. We called and the owner gave us the code to enter the house and told us where our rooms were. He explained he was traveling and that her friend would come the next morning to serve breakfast. At that time some Portuguese who had reserved the other rooms. So we open them and told them which were hers ... as if we were the owners of the house! The rooms were quite nice and the breakfast was very complete. Highly recommended.
our room at the B & B Alphabed
We started the visit by Limburgstraat, whose home was the Duivelsteen, Castle of Gerald the Devil XIII century. This street widens to form an elongated square where the three of the most important monuments. The first is St. Baafskathedraal, an impressive Gothic cathedral began in the thirteenth century.
Duivelsteen
St. Baafskathedraal
St. Baafskathedraal
The interior is much more interesting than its facade, grand and lit by large windows. What attracted more tourists eyes were large paintings of Rubens and Van Eyck. It was a good start to our visit to Gent!
St. Baafskathedraal interior
The second most important buildings are right next to the cathedral, is the Belfort. This tower, symbol of the power of the medieval guilds, was built in the fourteenth century. This surmounted by a small figure of a golden dragon is a symbol of the city. Attached to one of its walls is the Mammelokker, a former prison with a famous relief depicting a prisoner sentenced to starve to death but is saved by his daughter gives breastfeeding during their visits.
Belfort
The third and last building highlight of the area is St. Niklaaskerk, robust thirteenth century Gothic church. Whole area was under construction, probably why the church was closed. Thus, the towers of St. Niklaaskerk, Belfry and St. Baafskathedraal form one of the most recognizable prints in Gent.
St. Niklaaskerk
Opposite St. Niklaaskerk is the Korenmarkt or grain market, in reference to what was traded here during the Middle Ages. This square is surrounded by beautiful houses and was very nice. On one side is the Oud Postkantoor, the former office of the nineteenth century, whose tower rivaling the previous three.
Korenmarkt
Oud Postkandoor, from channel Korenlei
We deviate slightly from the plaza to check out the Stadhuis, town hall of the sixteenth century the same Gothic style than other Flemish cities. Only one visit per day, so we could not see inside.
Stadhuis
Then we agreed to the canal area by St. Michielshelling, a bridge with a great view of them but especially the "three towers": from that point you could see one after another, the towers of St. Niklaaskerk, the Belfry and St. Baafskathedraal.
view of the "Three Towers" from St. Michielshelling
The canal area is undoubtedly the most beautiful part of Gent. On either side are happening medieval houses hundreds of years old forming an unforgettable picture. The channel is surrounded by Korenlei and Graslei streets, the most interesting houses being in the latter. We approach them closely, especially that of No. 14, Gildenhuis der Vrije Schippers, the headquarters of the boatmen francs sixteenth century. Although the best way to see the houses is from the opposite side from Korenlei, which has some of the best views of the city.
Downstairs there was a temporary exhibition on the Mercator maps, allowing get an idea of how little the world knew the late sixteenth century. Through doors were accessible to the museum grounds, very pretty and also allowed admire the architecture of the seventeenth century.
Museum Plantin-Moretus, gardens
In some rooms you could see the dependencies Plantin, his study, his library where he kept an edition of all his impressions ... In other rooms you could see the tools with which the books were printed: presses, typefaces lead , pans typefaces, illustrations molds ... Finally, they were exposed some of the oldest and most interesting books, like Regia Bible, composed of several volumes printed between 1568 and 1672, with the translation of the biblical text Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on each page.
Museum Plantin-Moretus, typefaces and presses
Museum Plantin-Moretus, Bible Regia
This visit was very pleasant and we enjoyed it, shame we had to do it very fast. We were only an hour, but to see it is well needed time. We had arranged to Gent with Eulalia (Neus's sister) and we could not entertain much.
Then we went to Antwerpen Centraal station to catch the train to Gent, whose way ticket cost us € 9. Note that if you come from Antwerpen (like us), the train stops at Gent-Dampoort, which is the closest to the center stop. However, coming from Brussels, the stop is made in Gent-St. Pieters, a good three quarters of an hour to the center.
See Belgium 5: Gent in a larger map
The first thing we did was go to leave the backpack to our accommodation, which had us pass. It was the B & B Alphabed, very near the center, with the facade in a somewhat dilapidated. When we arrived there was nobody, just a note with a mobile number. We called and the owner gave us the code to enter the house and told us where our rooms were. He explained he was traveling and that her friend would come the next morning to serve breakfast. At that time some Portuguese who had reserved the other rooms. So we open them and told them which were hers ... as if we were the owners of the house! The rooms were quite nice and the breakfast was very complete. Highly recommended.
our room at the B & B Alphabed
We started the visit by Limburgstraat, whose home was the Duivelsteen, Castle of Gerald the Devil XIII century. This street widens to form an elongated square where the three of the most important monuments. The first is St. Baafskathedraal, an impressive Gothic cathedral began in the thirteenth century.
Duivelsteen
St. Baafskathedraal
St. Baafskathedraal
The interior is much more interesting than its facade, grand and lit by large windows. What attracted more tourists eyes were large paintings of Rubens and Van Eyck. It was a good start to our visit to Gent!
St. Baafskathedraal interior
The second most important buildings are right next to the cathedral, is the Belfort. This tower, symbol of the power of the medieval guilds, was built in the fourteenth century. This surmounted by a small figure of a golden dragon is a symbol of the city. Attached to one of its walls is the Mammelokker, a former prison with a famous relief depicting a prisoner sentenced to starve to death but is saved by his daughter gives breastfeeding during their visits.
Belfort
The third and last building highlight of the area is St. Niklaaskerk, robust thirteenth century Gothic church. Whole area was under construction, probably why the church was closed. Thus, the towers of St. Niklaaskerk, Belfry and St. Baafskathedraal form one of the most recognizable prints in Gent.
St. Niklaaskerk
Opposite St. Niklaaskerk is the Korenmarkt or grain market, in reference to what was traded here during the Middle Ages. This square is surrounded by beautiful houses and was very nice. On one side is the Oud Postkantoor, the former office of the nineteenth century, whose tower rivaling the previous three.
Korenmarkt
Oud Postkandoor, from channel Korenlei
We deviate slightly from the plaza to check out the Stadhuis, town hall of the sixteenth century the same Gothic style than other Flemish cities. Only one visit per day, so we could not see inside.
Stadhuis
Then we agreed to the canal area by St. Michielshelling, a bridge with a great view of them but especially the "three towers": from that point you could see one after another, the towers of St. Niklaaskerk, the Belfry and St. Baafskathedraal.
view of the "Three Towers" from St. Michielshelling
The canal area is undoubtedly the most beautiful part of Gent. On either side are happening medieval houses hundreds of years old forming an unforgettable picture. The channel is surrounded by Korenlei and Graslei streets, the most interesting houses being in the latter. We approach them closely, especially that of No. 14, Gildenhuis der Vrije Schippers, the headquarters of the boatmen francs sixteenth century. Although the best way to see the houses is from the opposite side from Korenlei, which has some of the best views of the city.
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