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Gravensteen

Museums ·Gent ·Closed
4.35.6K
#1Museums in GentTravelers' Choice 2026
  • from EUR 15
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About

Gravensteen, Ghent's Castle of the Counts: one of the largest moated castles on the continent, now a museum in the city centre.

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Gravensteen

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Why go

  • The donjon ramparts, with a viewing platform and views over the rooftops and towers of Ghent
  • The great hall on the first floor, where a knights' assembly met in 1445
  • A small exhibition of typical medieval weapons, partly from the Adolphe Neyt collection
  • The Kinderzoektocht, a children's treasure hunt offered at the castle

Opening hours

Today10:00 – 18:00Show all
Monday10:00 – 18:00
Tuesday10:00 – 18:00
Wednesday10:00 – 18:00
Thursday10:00 – 18:00
Friday10:00 – 18:00
Saturday10:00 – 18:00
Sunday10:00 – 18:00

Don't miss

  • Wolf's foot on the gateA wolf's foot nailed to the gate, the last known wolf evidence in Flanders.On the castle gate On the map
  • Horse stablesThe horse stables are one of the parts visitors can enter.Inside the castle On the map
  • CryptA crypt inside the castle.Inside the castle On the map

Know before you go

  • Open every day, 10:00 to 18:00.
  • Visits for school classes and groups are offered separately.

What's inside

  • Winding corridors, narrow spiral stairs, tall halls and true battlements.
  • The counts' residence rooms, the crypt and the keep.
  • Dungeons and a cowshed, with the torture chamber and dungeon in the basement.
  • The gatehouse, the curtain wall and the horse stables.
  • The former torture and court museum is mostly cleared, and some of its rooms are largely empty.

With kids

  • The castle has real battlements and high halls to see.

Tips for your visit

  • The castle is also called Château des Comtes, so search for that name as well as Gravensteen.

Tours and audio guides

Big Five
An audio tour called Big Five is offered for visitors.
Audio guide
A multilingual audio guide takes visitors through the rooms of the castle.

Interesting facts5

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  1. Besides a citadel, the castle was meant to intimidate the burghers of Ghent.

    Gravensteen - Wikipedia

  2. The castle was probably modelled on the Krak des Chevaliers.

    Gravensteen (Gent) - Wikipedia

  3. It was originally called 'novum castellum', meaning new castle.

    Gravensteen (Gent) - Wikipedia

  4. Many current details, such as the flat roofs, do not go back to a real medieval situation.

    Gravensteen (Gent) - Wikipedia
  5. 2016

    Since 2016, about two-thirds of the castle again stands in water.

    Gravensteen (Gent) - Wikipedia

Shorts

How to get there

  • TramTake tram 1 to the Sint-Veerleplein stop, which serves the castle. Address: Sint-Pietersplein 9, Ghent.

Accessibility

  • The castle is only partly step-free Narrow spiral staircases climb through the building and the towers have narrow stairs.

Sources: Gravensteen - Wikipedia · Ghent - Wikivoyage (see) · Castle of the Counts | Historische Huizen · Gravensteen | Historische Huizen · Château des Comtes | Historische Huizen · Gravensteen - Wikipedia · Château des comtes de Flandre - Wikipedia · Gravensteen (Gent) - Wikipedia · checked 19 Oct 2026

Where
Sint-Pietersplein 9, Ghent

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

Is Gravensteen in Ghent good for children?

A children's treasure hunt, the Kinderzoektocht, is offered at the castle. The building has narrow spiral stairs, which can be hard going with young children.

How do I get to Gravensteen in Ghent from the city centre?

Tram 1 stops at Sint-Veerleplein, and the castle is at Sint-Pietersplein 9, Ghent.

Can you climb Gravensteen for a view over Ghent?

Yes. Visitors can go up to the donjon ramparts, which look out over the city's rooftops and towers.

Is Gravensteen also called Château des Comtes?

Yes, Château des Comtes is the castle's other name, so search for both.

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