Ghent Photo Gallery - Het Gravensteen

The castle of the Counts of Flanders became a stone castle during the Middle Ages with ramparts and 24 towers. Ghent and Bruges thrived during the 12th century thanks to the wool industry, and wealthy traders lived in stone houses to show off their wealth. It had varying uses over the centuries, mostly as a symbol of repression, torture, and abuse of power. Once the court moved in the 18th century, the fortress was sold and became a factory with cotton mills and worker housing. As factories moved to the outskirts at the end of the 19th century, the government bought back the site and restored the castle, becoming the city's biggest tourist attraction when the World Expo opened in 1913. There are some exhibits on display within the medieval structure. However, I was more looking forward to the views from the castle walls. The self-guided tour is a one-way system exploring various parts of the castle.