Gravensteen, Ghent

On the right past Jan Breydelstraat is the rear facade of the castle of the Counts of Flanders, the Gravensteen, one of the strongest moated fortresses in Western Europe, surrounded by the River Lieve. It was built 1180-1200 on the orders of Philipp of Alsace, the former count of Flanders, on the foundation of a ninth C. structure in the style of Syrian crusader castles. Together with Bruges Castle it was the residence of the Flemish counts and still remains a unique example of the medieval art of fortification. In the 14th C. it ceased to have a military function and was used by the counts for administration of the land. In 1800 it came into private ownership and was converted into a cotton mill and flats for the workers; between 1894 and 1913 comprehensive restoration took place.