Bijloke, Medieval monastery and museum complex in Ghent, Belgium
Bijloke is a building complex in Ghent made up of several connected structures that originally came from a monastery and hospital. Today, various cultural institutions and art schools use the spaces for their activities.
The origins go back to 1228 when a hospital was moved to this location, with a Cistercian monastery later built nearby. For many centuries, the site served medical purposes before transforming into an arts institution.
The complex houses multiple arts organizations and schools that you see filled with students and artists going about their work daily. This mix of institutions creates an active center for creativity and artistic training in the heart of the city.
The site is a large, open space with several buildings that you can explore on foot. You should allow enough time to visit the different areas and institutions spread throughout the grounds.
The site operated as a hospital for more than 700 years before being transformed into an arts campus in recent decades. This long medical history remains visible in the building architecture and layout.
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