Saint Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent

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The Saint Bavo Cathedral, built in Gothic style, it's the seat of the diocese of Ghent and contains the well-known Ghent Altarpiece.

A first wooden chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was consecrated in this place in 942. Later the construction of a Romanesque church began, completed in 1038, of which traces remain today in the crypt. In 1228, construction began on a new, larger Gothic building, today's, completed in 1534.

In 1539 the building, until then called "church of San Giovanni Battista", was elevated to Collegiate and dedicated to San Bavone.

The cathedral looks like a large mass of white stone from which spiers and the high portico tower of the facade stand out. The deep choir is surrounded by chapels; the transept has two large facades at the north and south ends.

The cathedral also houses works by other famous artists. Contains the painting 'Saint Bavo enters the Convent of Ghent' by Peter Paul Rubens. There are also works by Lucas de Heere, one of which is a view of Ghent.

St. Bavo Cathedral, Ghent

Sint-Baafsplein, 9000 Ghent, Belgium