Ghent is an atmospheric city after dark thanks in part to an inspiring urban light plan launched in 1998. The ancient Gothic buildings like the Vleeshuis and the Gravensteen are illuminated with subtle lights to highlight the mediaeval details, while spotlights in the pavements cast theatrical shadows on the walls.
The lights pick up tiny details that are almost invisible in daylight like the elegant Gothic architecture of the city’s church towers and the flamboyant guild houses along the Graslei waterfront. You can also admire art installations that come alive at night such as L’Oiseau Bleu (The Blue Bird), created to celebrate a 1908 play by the Nobel Prize winner Maurice Maeterlinck, who came from Ghent.
The tourist office has put together a walking tour that takes you to more than 50 buildings illuminated at night. The urban ramble leads you on a meandering trail along the cobbled streets and canals in central Ghent, passing by the Sint-Michielsbrug, the Vrijdagmarkt and the Sint-Jacobskerk. But don’t leave it too late. The magic ends at midnight. Like every good fairy tale.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
