The Belfry of Ghent is the middle one of the three medieval towers that line up across the city centre, between St Bavo's Cathedral and St Nicholas' Church. At over 90 metres it is the tallest belfry in Belgium, and on its tip a gilded dragon has watched over the city since 1377.
The Belfry at a glance
- Where: on Sint-Baafsplein, between St Bavo's Cathedral and St Nicholas' Church, with the Cloth Hall attached on its south side.
- Built: begun around 1313 and completed in 1380; the present stone spire dates from 1911–1913.
- By: the original design is attributed to the master mason Jan van Haelst; his drawing still survives.
- What it is today: a museum tower with bells, the dragon and a viewing gallery, part of the Belfries of Belgium and France UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Time needed: 45 minutes to an hour to climb, see the bells and enjoy the view.
Bells, watchmen and the town charters
Ghent was one of the largest cities in northern Europe in the 14th century, rich from the cloth trade, and the Belfry was its proud civic answer to the church towers. Work began around 1313 but stopped in 1338 with only four levels built; for a long time the tower was crowned by a provisional wooden structure, and it was on this that the dragon was placed in 1377. The tower served as a bell tower, a fortified lookout and a strongroom: from 1402 the documents recording the city's privileges were kept here in a chest. Watchmen lived in the tower to look out for fire and enemies, a service that lasted until 1869.
The top of the tower changed several times. A spire designed by Louis 't Kindt was added in 1771, replaced in 1851 by a neo-Gothic spire of cast iron. That was taken down in 1911–1913 and replaced by the current stone spire, based on the original 14th-century design. Next to the tower, the Cloth Hall was begun in 1425, where woollen cloth was inspected and traded; only seven of eleven planned bays were built, and the rest were added in the early 20th century.
What to look for
- The dragon on the spire, the city's mascot and symbolic guardian; inside the tower you can see the dragon close up.
- The bells: Roland, the great alarm bell first hung in 1325, was taken down on the orders of Emperor Charles V after he crushed Ghent's revolt in 1540; the old Roland bell now stands at ground level on Emile Braunplein, next to the tower.
- The carillon, cast in the 17th century by the famous bell founders Pieter and François Hemony and now grown to more than 50 bells.
- The view from the gallery over the three towers, the Graslei and Korenlei, and the roofs of the old town.
- The Mammelokker, the small 1741 annex between the Belfry and the Cloth Hall, once the entrance to the city jail.
The Mammelokker and the dragon from Bruges
The relief above the Mammelokker door shows a Roman legend: a prisoner called Cimon, condemned to starve, was kept alive by his daughter Pero, who secretly breastfed him on her visits; her devotion won his release. The Flemish name means, quite literally, breast-sucker, and it suited the entrance to a jail. The dragon has its own story: a popular legend says Ghent seized it from Bruges, but in fact it was made in Ghent.
Tips for your visit
- Come early in the day, before groups arrive, so you have the viewing gallery more to yourself.
- There are stairs, with a lift from the first floor; the tower is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility.
- Listen for the carillon: the city carillonneur gives live recitals, traditionally on Sunday mornings.
Nearby
- St Bavo's Cathedral: across the square, home of the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece.
- Ghent City Hall: a mix of late-Gothic and Renaissance façades, just behind the Belfry on the Botermarkt.
- St Nicholas' Church: the third of the three towers, built in grey-blue Scheldt Gothic, a minute's walk west.
- St Michael's Bridge: a few minutes' walk west, the classic spot for a photo of all three towers in a row.
See Ghent with World City Trail
Our Ghent scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 11 stops and takes around 3 hours, with about 30 minutes of walking. The Belfry is one of the stops, along with St Bavo's Cathedral, St Michael's Church and St Michael's Bridge.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Ghent.
Play the Ghent scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Ghent →
Play the outdoor escape game in Ghent →
Facts checked in October 2026.