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not far from overcrowded Brugge is Gent, an also beautiful historic and lively town - our second visit there
Gent, Sint-Michielsbrug. This elegant one-arched bridge on the Leie was completed in 1908 and takes its name from the small statue of Saint Michael slaying the dragon in the middle of it. Since it offers one of the most striking views on the historical centre, it is the ideal place to start a discovery of Gent. The massive church in late gothic style (St. Michaels) next to it was begun in the first half of the 15th century but only completed four centuries later. The central tower, destined to become one of the
highest in this country, unfortunately never was.
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Gent
Ghent (Dutch: Gent) is a city in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and with a population of 272,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city of the province of East Flanders, and the third largest in the country, after Brussels and Antwerp.
The history of Ghent begins in the year 630 when St Amandus chose the site of the confluence (or ‘Ganda’) of the two rivers, the Lys and the Scheldt to construct an abbey. From the year 1000 to around 1550, Ghent was one of the most important cities in Europe. With 60,000 inhabitants, it was bigger than London and second only to Paris in size.
Until the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, the city was ruled by a number of rich merchant families, who mostly chose the side of the French king against the Count of Flanders. As the trades and guilds gained more political power in the 14th century, Ghent came to acquire a more democratic government.
Because England blocked the import of raw materials for the vitally important textile industry, Ghent was forced, by sheer necessity, to take England’s side (1338-1345) during the Hundred Years’ War. Jacob van Artevelde, a rich cloth merchant, led the uprising against Count Louis de Nevers, the vassal of the French king. In 1345, this ‘wise man’ was murdered by his fellow citizens. His importance is shown by the fact that Ghent is still called the ‘City of Artevelde’.
Ghent had to give up its ties with England and embrace the king of France. In 1407 the seat of the Council of Flanders, the highest judicial body in the county, was moved from Bruges to the Castle of the Counts. Since then Dutch became the official language.
The economic situation gradually worsened. The city lost its passage to the sea and the population decreased by half. Only in the second half of the 18th century was there an economic revival. In 1816, under Dutch administration, Ghent acquired its own university. As a commemoration, a statue of king William I of the Netherlands, founder of the University, was unveiled on Reep. Ten years later the city again became a sea port thanks to the Ghent-Terneuzen canal.
Nevertheless, Ghent still continued to sail against the tide: during Belgium’s independence struggle many inhabitants remained loyal to the Dutch House of Orange. Ghent later became the continent’s first large industrial centre. As a result, it was here that the socialist movement and the first trade union associations appeared.
In 1913, Ghent showed its best side during the World Exhibition. Because it suffered little bomb damage during the two world wars, Ghent’s historical heritage has remained largely intact right up to the present.
Genting Highland, Pahang, Malaysia.
Genting Highland is one of the popular mountain resort in Malaysia.
not far from overcrowded Brugge is Gent, an also beautiful historic and lively town - our second visit there