Graslei and Korenlei were the main docks of the old port of the city of Ghent (Belgium), and, therefore, at the time they were the centers of greater commercial activity. Along the banks of the canals are very traditional houses. Each of them was dedicated to a particular guild.
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| Graslei Ghent Belgium |
Today Graslei and Korenlei are the names of two streets that run along the banks of the old port of Ghent, in the city center. Graslei means "street of herbs and vegetables", and Korenlei means "street of wheat ". Both names indicate that these were the products that were stored in this area.
Along the street you can see that the area is much larger than it was in the Middle Ages. And, of course, the level of the river grew little by little, and the street had to be enlarged, covering it with sand, and gaining space from the water.
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| Graslei Ghent Belgium |
In the Graslei you can see beautiful houses of the time, restored and rebuilt, such as the Eerste Korenmetershuis, dating from the 15th century, the first house that existed to weigh the grain that came to the city. We can also see the Gildenhuis van de Metselaars, or brotherhood house of the Masons in 1527, with its high and elegant facade, crowned with beautiful pinnacles.
A few minutes north of the Graslei is the Castle of the Counts or Gravensteen. Its interior has a room with a magnificent fireplace, and a collection of torture instruments. North of the castle, the Braderijstraat takes us to Lievekaai, the second oldest port in Ghent. On the other side of the castle, we can enter the alleys of Patershol.
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| Graslei Ghent Belgium |
At the beginning of the Graslei is the Bridge of St. Michael over the Leie, from where you can enjoy an impressive view of the main monuments of the city, especially the towers of St. Nicholas and the Cathedral.
The houses on this street will undoubtedly enchant you, all of them from medieval times. They are the living and commercial history of a city as important at that time as Ghent. Strolling through the Graslei and the Korenlei is to do it through a long journey of centuries that made Ghent one of the commercial centers of Europe in the Middle Ages.