Ghent - Friday Market Vrijdagmarkt

The Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market) is the center of political life in medieval Ghent. It was in this square that the Flemish counts had to swear their observance of the freedoms accorded to the citizens of Ghent. The guilds also fought each other here and in 1477 two advisers and envoys of the stadholder (governess) Maria of Burgundy were executed.

Must-see attractions nearby:

Gravensteen

Graslei

Cathedral of St Bavon

Korenlei

Museum of Fine Arts

Bijlokemuseum (temporarily closed)

Museum of Decorative Arts

Typical Visit

10 minutes

Related Attractions

Artevelde-Monument

In the center of the Friday Market square stands the monument to the hero of Ghent Jacob van Artevelds, by Petrus de Vigne-Quyo in 1863.

Typical Visit

10 minutes

Friday Market Guild Houses

Several guild houses surround the market: the House of the Tanners "Het Toreken", 1460, "Den Bonten Mantel" (No. 45) the furrier, 1675 and the "Lakenmetershuis" (No. 22) which was built on the site of the former tanners' guild house in the 18th C. The Art Nouveau "Ons Huis", belonging to the socialist workers' associations, was built about 1900.

Typical Visit

10 minutes

Mad Meg

From Kraanlei the Zuivelbrug crosses the Leie to Grootkanonplein, where stands the 5 meter long and 16 ton cast iron cannon "Dulle Griet" (Mad Meg). It dates from the mid-15th C. and could fire, not very accurately, 340kg cannonballs.

Typical Visit

10 minutes

Nederpolder

The Hoogpoort is continued by the Nederpolder. No. 1 is the twin-gabled Palais Vanden Meersche dated 1547, an attractive inner courtyard with Roccoco facades being added in the 18th C. No. 2 is "De kleine Sikkel", a Romanesque 13th C. patrician's house, which also belonged to the Van der Sickelen family.

Typical Visit

20 minutes