They can be considered an obscure side of Egyptian mythology, characterized by events where myth seems to meet history. Gravensteen Castle was a terrific place to visit. The current castle dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. The halls and chambers beneath the castle are now used as a number of museums, such as the arms museum where armor and military memorabilia can be seen. Not necessarily. The most popular part of the castle is the Torture Museum , where small children and those with a weak stomach are not encouraged to visit. Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time? It was subsequently re-purposed as a court, prison, mint, and even as a cotton factory. Gravensteen Castle actually used to be a house of torture and injustice. Gravensteen Castle Belgium , Europe , Ghent We’d only been in Ghent for half an hour, with no knowledge of what to see or do, when we saw Castle Gravensteen … Since 1407, in the castle were located County Superior Court, the Council of Flanders, as well as a prison. When the Counts moved to a new residence in the late 14 th century, the castle remained an important military site and was also used as a prison by the Council of Flanders. The rates for the museum were 10 … Mysterious Cocaine Mummies: Do They Prove Ancient Voyages Between Egypt and Americas? Philip of Alsace built today’s castle from 1180 to 1200. Oxford University Press, Available at: https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QvSovOY_VV0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=gravensteen+castle++history+of+flanders&ots=UHcq40cGir&sig=kruo9u0GowLwYk9gLNbEImF2RtM&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=gravensteen%20castle%20%20history%20of%20flanders&f=false>, Laleman, M. C. (2013). Gravensteen Castle, locally simply known as Gravensteen, lies in the city of Ghent, in the East Flanders province in the Flemish region in Belgium. The grand castle in the middle of the city was a no-brainer on the “must visit” list. Who Were the Ancient People that Built the Remarkable Megalithic Tombs of Malaga? In total there are two dozen turret towers on the ramparts, and it is possible to walk the full extent of the walls to enjoy the views of the beautiful city of Ghent. Was Moloch really Ba’al, the Ancient God Who Demanded Child Sacrifice? For many years Gravensteen, a massive Gothic castle, was the heart of the region. The Counts rebuilt their stronghold in stone in the Gothic style and it is thought to have been completed in the reign of Count Phillip of Alsace. The Council had its seat in the castle until 1778, when it was sold to civilians. An administrator was put into place to take care of the daily routines. Inspect the iron collars, neck restraints and thumbscrews of the museum’s fascinating but grisly collection. In c. 1180, the castle burned down, presumably by accident. The Counts of Flanders dominated the region for most of the Middle Ages . The castle stayed the administrative center of the county. At present this castle residence can not be visited. The walkways and walls of Gravensteen Castle in Ghent, Belgium ( Sergey Kelin / Adobe Stock). By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Adress: Sint-Veerleplein, Ghent, Belgium. Count Arnulf I had the fortification completely rebuilt during the 10th century. It is open daily except on December 24, 25, 31 and January 1. Only the old entrance gate served as a reminder of its medieval past. Your emailaddress will not be used except for communication about this report if necessary. The museum of judicial objects features a guillotine, thumb screws, and a rack – all examples of instruments used in the castle to obtain “justice” between the 14 th and 18 th centuries. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Ventureinside the castle’s former torture chamber, which now serves as a museum dedicated to judicial objects. It is his castle that we see today. We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. They were not successful. From then on, the Castle of the Counts was known as the Cité Hulin, after the son-in-law of Jean-Denis Brismaille, who then owned most of the houses in the Castle of the Counts. In 1949 students stormed the castle and pelted the authorities with rotten fruit in protest of a new tax on beer. A view of Gravensteen Castle, demonstrating its picturesque moat. The mighty Gravensteen Castle in the center of Ghent is one of the largest moated castles in Europe. Executions happened inside or in front of the gatehouse. What used to be the pantry now features the torture equipment, which is displayed in a suggestive executioner's cabinet. Gravensteen is a motte castle surrounded by water which was diverted from the River Lys. Top image: Gravensteen Castle in Ghent, Belgium           Source: Kurt De Bruyn / Adobe Stock, De Vries, A. The Gravensteen is a medieval castle at Ghent, East Flanders in Belgium. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. This, in turn, was used to predict the fortunes of the annual harvest, the taxes to be imposed (which determined the revenues of the state), as well as the prices of foodstuffs. Between the 14th and 18th centuries, the castle grounds were used for the torture, judgment and execution of prisoners. A fee is charged to enter the castle where there are a great many exhibitions and several fun things to do. Gravensteen’s historical highlight is its dungeon and torture chamber. In later centuries parts of the moat silted up and houses were built against the outer castle walls, hiding the castle from view until around 1900. In the 9 th century AD, Baldwin II built a wooden fortress on the site of the current castle, constructed to defend the area from the Vikings. From 1180 to the 1350s the castle was the official residence of the Counts of Flanders , who lived in great opulence and luxury. The Ainay-le-Vieil Castle, also famous as Château d’Ainay-le-Vieil, is located in a small village which interestingly enough carries the same Read more Historical Castles Star Gazing at Cheomseongdae - East Asia’s Oldest Observatory, The Ottoman Empire: 600 Years of Domination, The Megalithic Mystery of the Greek Dragon Houses, The Colossal Head of Decebalus, King of the Dacians. Gravensteen Knight. Gravensteen is a Castle in Ghent, Belgium. Recommended! The current castle was built in 1180 and throughout the centuries served many purposes such as a court, a prison, a home for royalty and even as a cotton factory. To satisfy those with a more gory turn-of-mind, but also to give voice to the castle’s violent history, Gravensteen houses a collection of torture instruments actually used through the ages. View of Ghent from the top of the Gravensteen Castle, Belgium ( woojin / Adobe Stock). The castle is located in the heart of Ghent. Castles and fortified cities of Medieval Europe: an illustrated history . In the donjon, the innermost keep beneath the fortress, captives suffered gruesome torments even by the standards of the Middle Ages. It is a medieval castle built in 1180 and located in Ghent, East Flanders in Belgium.It was only occupied by anyone other than the owners one time, on November 16, 1949, when 138 students from the University of Ghent took over the castle to protest an increase in the price of beer. It was built in 1180 by count Philip of Alsace and was modeled after the crusaders castles that Philip of Alsace encountered while he participated in the second crusade. The first fortification at this site, a sand dune with swampy borders inbetween the anabranches of the River Leie, was built in the mid-9th century by Baldwin I, the first Count of Flanders, to fight off Viking raids. At present Gravensteen Castle can be visited for a fee. . Paleo rock art from around the world ranges in style, method, and age, and includes cave paintings, petroglyphs, pictographs, polished and engraved stones such as effigies, stone sculptures, and portable ceremonial objects. During the 19th century the castle was used as a cotton mill and habitation for the laborers and their families. Their Origins May Surprise You, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art, The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age, Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland. McFarland, Available at: https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en&lr=&id=CXCeCQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=gravensteen+castle++history+of+flanders&ots=sNXSl1ZaXg&sig=dYkMcOaj2zPZ7ihdp85eLOrsGB0&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=gravensteen%20castle%20%20history%20of%20flanders&f=false, My name is Edward Whelan and I am from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. Medieval Ghent was one of the largest and most prosperous cultural and commercial ports throughout Europe. At the end of the century the cotton mill and the laborers moved out, … Thankfully the local municipality chose to restore the medieval fortress authentically under the direction of the architect Joseph de Waele. At one time it even served as a factory. Gravensteen © Simon Montgomery As the seat of the Council of Flanders the castle was used as a courthouse and a prison from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries, and the accused were held in the dungeons there before or during their trials. In 1180, Count Philip I had the castle again completely rebuilt. Raised Celtic Settlement May Be Aftermath of Boudica’s Rebellion, Egyptian Hippos: Ancient Symbol of Protection, Rebirth And Hunting, Revealing The Hellenistic Origins Of Jaffa, The Holiest Port, Grasshopper Diet Caused Lethal Constipation 1,000 Years Ago, Surprise Discovery of a Headless 'Buddha' Statue Beneath Chinese Apartments, 7.2 million-Year-Old Pre-Human Fossil Suggests Mankind Arose in Europe NOT Africa, Sky Burial: Tibet’s Ancient Tradition for Honoring the Dead, Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think, Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? In the 11th century, Count Robert I had the castle drastically rebuilt. Gravensteen Katie McKeown on Flickr (Creative Commons) Constructed over the site of a much weaker looking wooden castle by a pompous count, the … There were 15 sections to the castle which included a room dedicated to torture devices and an interesting dungeon.The view of Ghent at the top of the castle is breathtaking. 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