Gravensteen

This is the real deal. Dark and foreboding. this is how a medieval castle should feel. I’ve toured many castles in Europe and Gravensteen is easily one of my favorites.
It’s a well done self-​guided tour, but you can go where you’d like and spend as much time as you need. I went on a slow day and really bonded with this place. It is restored but has some original infrastructure. The medieval toilets and stone work in the horse stables were highlights. And then the view of the city is spectacular. Be prepared for a lot of stairs, displays of torture.
It is the best tour in Gent!

Eine prächtige Burg inmitten der traumhaft schönen Stadt Gent.
Die Anlage kann für ein geringes Entgelt besichtigt werden und ist durchaus interessant.
Eingeschlossen ist ein übersichtlich gestaltetes Museum, das mit mehrsprachigen Tafeln eingerichtet ist. Da sich die Anlage in Restauration befindet, ändert sich das ein oder andere immer wieder mehr oder weniger langfristig.
Dargestellt werden diverse Folterinstrumente, deren Methodik und auch weitere Hintergründe zur Zeitgeschichte.
Besonders hervorzuheben ist zudem der atemberaubend schöné Blick auf die mittelalterliche Altstadt, der schon alleine den Eintritt rechtfertigt.
Alles in allem sollte man 1 – 2,5 Stunden für einen Besuch einplanen, je nach Interesse und Ausdauer :-).

This castle makes an interesting stroll. Most of the rooms were vacant but the infrastructure was well preserved. There was a display on armor and weaponry that was intriguing. There were a couple of rooms that focused on medieval torture that effectively demonstrated the brutality of the age. The grounds were interesting to meander to get a better overall sense of the size and layout of the estate. There was a great city view from the tower that was worth taking in. There was also a temporary exhibit on death and dying that included a slide show of death pictures. These were interesting as they demonstrated a different approach to grieving and remembrance from the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The thing I found the most interesting was a photo essay of life and death pictures of various people with terminal illnesses. The subjects provided end-​of-​life statements that made fascinating reading. Overall, this site was definitely worth the € 10 admission and should be a consideration for any Ghent itinerary.

What a fun place to visit! The castle is really cool to walk through and the flow of the exhibits is well thought out. The reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is simply because there is a huge focus on torture and weaponry of the era (which is fascinating!) but they neglect to give much information on the inhabitants and other history of the structure. The views from the top of the castle though are simply spectacular and worth every penny of the visit for.

A diferencia de otras reseñas anteriores, el precio dejó de ser 8 € para ser 10 € los menores de edad entran gratis y, en mi caso, obtuve un descuento de 2,50 €, así que decidimos entrar. Tampoco nos dieron ninguna audio guía, tan solo un papel, afortunadamente en castellano, donde te explican cada sala pero no dice nada de los amoríos de sus habitantes.
La colección permanente es pequeña, como bien dice Juan D. en su reseña. En nuestro caso había una exposición temporal sobre la muerte y la pérdida de seres queridos, lo que hacía que en algunas salas las campanadas dieran un toque tétrico al castillo.
Durante la visita tienes que subir o bajar por pequeñas escaleras de caracol. Está organizado de forma que subas por una escalera diferente de la que utilizas para bajar, lo que permite no llegar a la situación incomoda de ver quién pasa primero o quién va por el interior de la escalera. La fortaleza está bien conservada, pero apenas hay muebles y sí exposiciones de armas y utensilios de tortura, por ejemplo.
Sin duda, lo mejor del castillo son las vistas desde su torre central y la lateral, un poco más pequeña y no incluida en el recorrido, por lo que tienes que subir por iniciativa propia. Prácticamente se visita todo el castillo por lo que la visita es buena para viajar con niños, que disfrutarán subiendo y bajando por las estrechas escaleras.

Castle Gravensteen
I came here not knowing what to expect. When I think of castle, I think Disneys’ prince and princess, I also think castle and fortress with its relation to war. Enter Gravensteen
” departures” This castle, self led tour focuses on death, forms incl man inflicted torture and as you leave the tour, you’re introduced to portraits of real people born in our generation that have moved on
(departed) Each portrait tells a brief story including how the person felt before they died. It’s real life and death but I wasn’t expecting this to be the theme. There are exhibits of swords, iron armor, and weapons. Non in English btw but hey, we’re not in America. Great views from the open spaces
(roof top) lotsa of photo ops.
cons: not for anyone claustrophobic
— Not handicap accessible
— hard for those of us with big feet (10) b/​c steps are narrow/​steep/​spiral and short.
— come here BEFORE having a few biers
— I would leave kids at home. Very dark theme, dark corners even in early day, may give them nightmares also, large spaces without railings/​guard where a child could fall. Interesting experience, this is a place to visit once, and call it a day. Friendly staff. Cost is 10 €
!!!read the brochure for information on each numbered spot.

De visite à Gand le temps d’une journée, je né savais pas qu’il y avait un château. Directement, on a voulu le visiter !
On s’y rend donc, mais avec une appréhension sur les tarifs.
Mais en fait c’est top :
10 € pour un adulte, 6 € si vous avez entre 20 et 25ans, 8 € pour un tarif de groupe.
Notre ticket acquis, on se lance. Pas trop de monde, c’est bien, ça né se bouscule pas dans les escaliers en colimaçon.
Château très bien restauré, on se ballade entre l’extérieur et l’intérieur. On visite des pièces sur le thème des armes et des armures, sur la torture de l’époque, les prisons etc…
Avec des explications en néerlandais sur la plupart des panneaux, et même si on vous donne un petit dépliant en français à l’entrée, il n’y a que trop peu de traductions sur les explications personnalisées devant les armes par exemple. Du coup si on est pas bilingue, impossible de savoir ce qu’il est écrit… dommage !
J’ai trouvé la visite un peu courte, mais ça reste très intéressant et depuis le bastion, on a une vue imprenable sur la belle ville de Gand !

A must see for any tourist visiting Gent.
Gravensteen Castle is a restored castle in the heart of Gent. I urge you to pay the few Euros to get in. Kids are free. Make sure you use the bathrooms before you embark on the 16 – 17 stop tour through the castle and property. Bring a snack as well if you tend to get hungry (there are picnic benches towards the end of the tour stops).
Gravensteen has a magnificent view of Gent once you get to the top… a must see because you see all four sides of the city from the rooftop lookouts. Check out the torture rooms (with the torture equipment), the dungeon, the ancient bathrooms, crazy spiral stairwells… so much to do and not enough time to read and see everything if you’re just in Gent for a couple of hours.
Wear walking shoes and bring water. It’s a nice hike up to the top. And don’t get stuck in the medieval dungeon! Memories of GoT!

Quand vous êtes à Gand pour la première fois et que vous découvrez ce château en pleine ville, ça vous coupe le soufflé ! Ce magnifique et énorme château est bien conservé, on peut découvrir de nombreuses pièces (mais tout reste très accessible, il n’y a pas de petits escaliers par exemple), des armures, une salle de torture, un chemin de ronde.
Ce château a un charme indéniable mais il est dommage de né pas retrouver ce côté un peu aventureux que l’on retrouve au château de Beersel ou à celui de Bouillon.
Il y a aussi énormément de monde, de touristes notamment. Mais c’est tout de même un lieu à découvrir si vous passez par Gand.

More imposing from the outside than it is on the inside, I would recommend taking pictures in front and not buying the entrance. The inside has space artifacts to show, mostly blank stone walls. There is a decent view from the top of the tower, it is one of the tallest buildings in town but the best view of all is from the outside looking in.

Je suis très fan d’histoire et de ce type d’endroits c’est pourquoi je met 4 étoiles.
C’est un ouvrage très bien restauré, honnêtement c’est cool de s’y balader (d’autant que vous aurez droit à qq explications historiques le long de la visite).
La vue panoramique de la ville vaut le détour!
Après si vous n’aimez pas l’histoire, les vieilles pierres, les instruments de torture et les armes médiévales, ce lieu n’aura pas spécialement beaucoup d’intérêt pour vous en dehors de la vue au sommet du château (si ce n’est vous faire qq frayeurs entre amis haha).

Amazing castle architecture but of course, part of it was under construction. Its still worth the walk off the beaten path of Ghent. Its a beautiful building, picture worthy!

Loved this well-​preserved medieval castle and all the torture/​execution instruments inside. Would have gladly paid just to tour the castle itself. Definitely don’t miss it in Ghent.
Also, if deciding between Ghent and Bruges, go to Ghent. It’s bigger, more fun and there is more to see and do.

Okay, So I did like visiting this castle. It was very interesting to see how it had been redone since it had been discovered a way back when although maybe a little cheeky the way parts were reconstructed to make it look more medieval for tourists… The thing was, it was quite clear they had basically rebuilt the castle and tried to make it look as though it had been this way since… always. Then they have photos of then and now to show how much they rebuilt (so I guess credit is due in that they’re not hiding that fact!) There is a nice view out over Ghent from up on the roof area though it is a bit of a climb to get there. There are a few bits and bobs to read though not a lot of it is in English.
Some of the exhibitions are good, but the weirdest part was their Christmas theme. They were advertising it everywhere as Winter Wonderland. It really wasn’t. They’d added a Christmas tree and a christmas ‘feast’, they’d put a polar bear statue in the dungeon (um, weird), and a few other stuffed animals on a sloping area with white material that was pretending to be snow… They also made sure it was clear the animals were dead when found and then stuffed for educational purposes. That was all a bit weird and the whole Christmas theme seemed a bit wrong, a bit forced but also very half-​hearted. If you’re under 26 years old it’s only 6 euro to enter which is great! Good to have seen the castle but I won’t be back.

There may not be a more centrally located medieval castle than this — right in the center of Gent, a really excellent city.
Price of admission comes with an ipod that shows a movie about the castle. But what happens is that there’s this little story they tell — even with a silly *mise en abyme* — which takes place sequentially in each room in the castle. So as you are touring, you are watching this little film take place in the room you’re standing in.
Even without that, the castle is a really great visit. We did see a kid faint in the «torture room» so maybe a head’s up on that one.
Kids are free and adults are 10 EUR each.

I do love a castle and this doesn’t disappoint. The entry fee is reasonable, under ten euro.
This is a self guided tour with informational placards throughout as well as a variety of printed material in various languages. You can view the dungeons, dining rooms, outdoor areas/​porticals used for defense and safety. While not hugely extensive as other castles I’ve been to in other countries, this is still a beautiful site with great views.

While in Ghent, Belgium, it’s a good idea to spend a couple hours here too. This is a real castle with a real dungeon and you can just imagine how bad it was for those people down in there… and you can happily through a penny down there for good luck now. Anyway, like other Unilocalers have added, you can walk around the entire castle wall without feeling guilty about potentially falling off. .there are no safety signs that you would find in North America. Also you can tap into your inner Knight and siege movies. A cute little castle for exploring at 8 EUR can’t go wrong. That torture room with the chair is just wrong — a must see.

Un castillo medieval de mediano tamaño en pleno centro histórico de Gante; la entrada da derecho a una audio-​guía (las explicaciones de cada sala son realmente escuetas) o una guía peliculera en la que ves cada habitación a través del rodaje de una supuesta película sobre el origen del castillo y los líos amorosos de la Reina Teresa/​Condesa Matilda. A mí este tipo de cosas no me gustan mucho y creo que los árboles no dejan ver el bosque, así que he elegido la audio-​guía normal y se ha roto tras la primera sala, y coger otra implicaba bajar muchas escaleras de caracol en contra de las hordas turísticas, así que me he hecho la visita a pelo, ¡yo sí que valgo!
En su interior alberga una colección de armas medievales e instrumentos de tortura, pero ambas son muy pequeñas y no albergan ningún interés si habéis visto los Inválidos de París o la Torre de Londres.
El punto álgido de la visita es la subida hasta lo alto de la torre, desde donde pueden hacerse unas panorámicas maravillosas de toda Gante, aunque si lo que quieres es esto y no sufres vértigos ni claustrofobia, mi recomendación es la torre del campanario, a unos 5 minutos andando del castillo.

This castle was on our list of things we wanted to see while in Gent. In fact, this was the first thing we went to today, so when it opened at 9:00 AM, we were there.
Entrance is 8,00 EUR for adults, and taking photographs is allowed. There is a numbered self-​guided tour, which takes you to almost every nook and cranny of the castle. I like the fact that the castle is warmed, so it is indeed an escape from the cold weather if you’re visiting during the winter, like what we did. There are also outside sections of the tour, including a walk around the wall, as well as at the roof.
I like the fact that there are no railings for the «dangerous» locations of the tour, for example, the walk around the wall. If this were in America, there would be signs all over the place saying «Dangerous» and railings would be put in place. I suppose people here are intelligent enough to know that those are dangerous, and that nobody would slip and then sue the castle for safety negligence. I don’t know, I just like it this way, as it preserves the original ambience of the castle.
Prepare to spend at least an hour for this, it’s a medium-​sized castle, and best enjoyed when there are not a lot of crowds around, so come early.

Worth it to take the tour. Very neat site to see.

Their layout makes you see every single possible part of this castle. meaning by the end of this tour you’re gonna get sick of stairs.

Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, is part kitschy, part cool. Because it is so large and looming, it is a spectacular part of the skyline that can’t be missed. Visiting it is another story.
The focus of this attraction is kind of scattered all over the place. There are informative placards throughout, but with translations in four separate languages, there is maybe not as much information as could be included about everything.
The self-​guided tour is well-​organized, with arrows clearing pointing where one should go, or not go. There are rooms with weapons and armory, and another room housing the museum of torture instruments. I guess what I didn’t like was that it was such a mixture of things, since the castle/​fortress served multiple purposes, depending on the time, and there was no clear timeline established as to when it was one thing or another. So while it was cool, I don’t feel like I walked away with any more retained knowledge regarding the history of the place.
That aside, it’s good for families with children, The top of the fortress is also great, with plenty of good views out around the city.

If you’re coming to Ghent as a day trip from Brussels, I’d recommend a visit to Gravensteen over the Belfry of Ghent. The Belfry costs 5 € for entry and gives you a view that’s only slightly higher than what you get atop the castle. It makes more sense to pay for the castle entry and get the view as a bonus!
The castle itself is interesting and well laid out. Information is presented frequently on placards in multiple languages, although the descriptions are very basic.
Entry is 8 € for adults.

Aus Zeitmangel konnten wir die Burg leider nicht innen besichtigen, sondern nur von außen bewundern. Laut unserem Guide, war die Wasserburg uneinnehmbar. Zumindest bis der Bierpreis erhöht werden sollte. Denn dann haben sich eine handvoll Studenten ein paar Kästen Bier geschnappt. Mit einem davon wurde der Wächter bestochen, um sie in die Burg zu lassen. Ein paar Tage besetzten die Studenten aus Protest gegen die Preiserhöhung die Burg bis das mitgebrachte Bier ausging. Aber: Der Bierpreis wurde daraufhin doch nicht erhöht. Eine nette Anekdote, wie ich meine.

Es el único castillo que hay en Flandes, está ubicado en pleno casco urbano de Gante y muy bien conservado.
La entrada cuesta 8 €, se puede visitar en su totalidad y tiene buenas vistas de la ciudad.
El acceso es de 09:00 a 18:00 hrs en verano y en invierno cierran una hora antes.

This is unbelievable: a real old castle in the middle of the city! A must see when visiting Flanders.

Wunderschoene «Wasserburg» (waterburg) im Herzen der Stadt Gent. Eintritt fuer Erwachsene: 8 Euro. Wir fanden es war auf jeden Fall das Geld wert. Super Aussicht ueber die Stadt, und eindruckweckende Burg, mit einem kleinen Museum das sogar eine Guillotine (nachbau aber original Messer) beherbergt. Es gibt auch eine Museum Guide (mit Audio u Video), die war aber leider nicht wirklich brauchbar, fanden wir (statt Fakten werden kleine nachgespielte Szenen gezeigt) und ist ziemlich schwer zudem. Aber sonst toll. Empfehlenswert!

Schon beeindruckend, so eine Burg mitten in der Stadt.

This castle turns out to be bigger on the inside than you expect, and will keep you occupied for longer than you might at first think, making better value of the reasonable entrance fee.
Largely you’re free to wander about at your own leisure. Many of the rooms are empty or fairly minimally decorated, you don’t find yourself confronted with many information boards but you still get a good feel for what it must have been like back in its day nevertheless. Some parts are well renovated, while other parts feel like ruins. At some points in the past it was used as a factory, so it has the scars of industrialisation as well as genuine castle stuff.
There’s an unhealthy preoccupation with instruments of torture and violence, which children of a certain age might appreciate and others may not enjoy at all– not for the squeamish, certainly.
From the top rampants it’s also a good spot to get some rooftop photos of Ghent while you’re there.

The Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, is situated at the junction of two canals in the centre of Ghent. If you approach it on foot, watch out for the spooky giant spider web, which is illuminated at night.
The castle has an interesting selection of exhibits, including instruments of torture, armour and weapons. There are some spectacular views of Ghent from the towers, and equally spectacular views of the castle from a number of the canal boat tours that run from the area by the Waterhuis.
There are self-​guided tours and walks around the ramparts.