The grotto and waterfall
Nineteenth-century artificial romance.
Paul Hermans — CC BY-SA 3.0 · George Woes JR — CC BY 3.0 · Romaine — CC0 · Romaine — CC0
The Citadelpark is Ghent's great park south of the centre, on the site of a Dutch citadel of 1820 demolished to become a romantic park (1875) with made hills, a lake, a waterfall, an artificial grotto and veteran trees — the city's green lung near the station and university, and home to its two great art museums, MSK and SMAK, facing each other. It also holds the "Kuipke" — the famous covered cycling track (the Six Days races in November, Flemish sporting heritage), remains of the old citadel gate, and a café. For students and families it is picnics, running and dog walks — a real city park rather than a sight. Twenty minutes on foot from the Korenmarkt or by tram — you pass it naturally on the southern museum day or on the way from the station.
Nineteenth-century artificial romance.
Classical and contemporary art facing each other in the green.
Citadelpark, 9000 Ghent
SMAK (Contemporary Art Museum)SMAK is Ghent's museum of contemporary art and among Belgium's most important — 3 minutes walk3.9
GUM, Ghent University Museum and Botanical GardenGhent University's museum, opened in 2020 with an unusual subject: not a particu4 minutes walk4.7
Museum of Fine Arts (MSK)Ghent's Museum of Fine Arts (MSK) is among Belgium's oldest museums (1798) and m5 minutes walk4.4
STAM (Ghent City Museum)STAM is Ghent's city museum in the fourteenth-century Bijloke abbey (with a refe10 minutes walk4.6
St Peter's AbbeySt Peter's Abbey is among the oldest abbeys of Flanders — founded by St Amand in10 minutes walk4.5No — a pleasant city park rather than a sight, but you will pass it on the museum day (MSK and SMAK) or walking from the station to the centre. Make it the lunch break between the two museums, or a morning stroll if you stay near the station.