Patershol, Medieval restaurant district in Ghent, Belgium.
Patershol is a dining neighbourhood in the historic core of Ghent, built around a web of narrow cobblestone lanes and low brick buildings. The ground floors of nearly every house along these streets have been converted into restaurants, with small signs and candles visible through the windows.
The area grew in medieval times as a place where craftsmen and labourers who worked near the Castle of the Counts settled with their families. In the later part of the 20th century, the old houses were gradually taken over by restaurants, changing the character of the neighbourhood entirely.
The name Patershol comes from the Carmelite friars who once ran a monastery in this part of Ghent. Traces of that past survive in the shape of a few buildings, which stand out against the older brick houses that line the lanes.
The lanes are very narrow and work best on foot, since cars have little room and pedestrians set the pace. Arriving in the early evening gives you time to walk through before the restaurants fill up, making it easier to choose a place without feeling rushed.
Until the 1970s, Patershol was one of the most run-down parts of Ghent, with many buildings left empty and in poor condition. A restoration effort saved the old structures from demolition, which is why so many original facades and small details have survived to the present day.
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