Ghent City Hall, Gothic and Renaissance town hall in Ghent, Belgium.
Ghent City Hall is a public building in the heart of Ghent's old town, Belgium, showing two distinct sides: a late Gothic front on the Hoogpoort and a Renaissance front on the Botermarkt. The Renaissance side features Doric columns, while the Gothic side is decorated with fine tracery and carved reliefs.
Construction started in 1519 under architects Dominikus De Waghemakere and Rombout II Keldermans, but financial difficulties slowed the work for many decades. The Renaissance wing on the Botermarkt side was only finished in the 17th century, which is why the two fronts look so different from each other.
The Hoogpoort facade displays stone statues of the Counts of Flanders, added in the early 20th century and still clearly visible today. Walking slowly along the front, visitors can pick out each figure carved into the stonework above street level.
The building sits on the corner of the Hoogpoort and the Botermarkt, so a short walk around the block lets you see both fronts. Guided tours offer access to the interior rooms, including the Wedding Chapel, which is not generally open to the public on a daily basis.
A blue-and-white striped drainpipe runs along part of the facade, and its colors are often linked to the local football club KAA Gent. Whether or not this was intentional, it stands out against the old stone and tends to catch visitors off guard when they notice it.
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