This is Gravensteen, seat of the Counts of Flanders for hundreds after years after this current incarnation was built by Philip of Alsace in 1180. I suppose technically counts aren’t royalty but at various points in its history, the counts in question were younger sons of French kings, it seems, so there. Despite the gray skies, Steve and I also found the views of Ghent from the parapet quite interesting. The paintings you’ll find in the gallery below are humorous renditions of some of the gruesome acts of punishment committed in this building over the centuries. For such a bloody place, the audio guide did a fine job of keeping it rather humorous and fun. Oh, and little known fact, John of Gaunt – who shows up both in English history as Duke of Lancaster and, I think, in some of Shakespeare’s history plays – was originally from Ghent, since the English apparently called Ghent Gaunt.
(so much world, so little time....) 