The old post office
A neo-Gothic palace of 1910 with a clock tower.
Julien Bertrand — Public domain · DimiTalen — CC0 · Giorgio Galeotti — CC BY 4.0 · Thomas Quine — CC BY 2.0
The Korenmarkt ("Wheat Market") is Ghent's central square and meeting place: a broad rectangle between St Nicholas' Church and the quays, once the grain market that enriched the city for centuries, today the tram hub, the terrace cafés and the first rendezvous point. It is dominated by the old post office — a grand neo-Gothic palace of 1910 with a clock tower (now a shopping centre and restaurants) — and step-gabled houses. Every route branches from it: the Graslei a minute west, St Michael's Bridge, the Belfry and cathedral east via Sint-Baafsplein, the castle north. In December it hosts the Christmas market and a Ferris wheel, and during the Ghent Festivities a main stage. Free and the natural starting point of every walk — a coffee on a terrace before setting off or after finishing.
A neo-Gothic palace of 1910 with a clock tower.
Quays, towers and castle all minutes away.
Korenmarkt, 9000 Ghent
St Nicholas' ChurchSt Nicholas' Church is the first of the three towers from the quays and the olde1 minute walk4.7
Graslei and Korenlei (Old Quays)The Graslei and Korenlei are Ghent's old harbour quays on the facing banks of th1 minute walk4.9
St Michael's BridgeSt Michael's Bridge is Ghent's foremost viewpoint: an arched stone bridge (1913)1 minute walk4.9
St Michael's ChurchSt Michael's Church is the late-Gothic church at the end of St Michael's Bridge 3 minutes walk4.7
Graffiti Street (Werregarenstraat)Graffiti Street is a narrow, crooked alley in the heart of old Ghent turned into3 minutes walk4.3Ghent-Sint-Pieters station is 2 km south of the centre: tram line 1 brings you to the Korenmarkt in 10 minutes (direct and frequent), or 25 minutes on foot through the Citadelpark and its museums. From the Korenmarkt everything is on foot. Taxis are unnecessary in Ghent.