Dest inat ion Repor t Ghent i s a spec ia l ed i t ion of M IM magaz ine N o 104 - APRIL 2009pub l i shed by Meet iing Med ia Company (Be lg ium) - www.MIMmagaz ine.eu
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ENJOYING THE GOOD LIFE
GHENT
M E D I E VA L M A N H AT TA NThe ideal destination for your next congress, meeting or incentive
www.gentcongres.be
T: +32 (0)9/224 44 95
F: +32 (0)9/224 44 98
Van Rysselberghedreef 2-box 3
Citadelpark
9000 Gent Belgium
GhentWhy Ghent?
Gent Congres
Official Convention Bureau
for Ghent and East Flanders
Alive and kicking: history meets modernityWandering about through picturesque medieval streets, along the imposing Gravensteen stronghold (Castle of the Counts) or over the magnifi cent St.-Michael’s bridge, it's almost like travelling back in time. Indeed, the overwhelming historic heritage of this city immediately tickles your im-agination. The recent award for most authentic destination proves how well
the city is preserved. Wherever you go, you can feel the people are very proud of their city. And with good reason! The fact that the noose, once used by Emperor Charles V to humiliate the people, now is carried through the city with pride and used as its symbol, al-ready speaks for itself. On a side-note, this already reveals the obstinate, yet gentle-hearted character of the people of Ghent. In many ways, the historic heritage is given a second life. Former
Are you looking for a city that's really fun and charming to stage an event, meeting or incentive? Then Ghent has many things to offer. Thanks to Annick Debels, Director of Gent Congres, who guided us around, we got to see the city in a whole new light. We only knew the capital of East-Flanders from the typical sceneries, big events and famous museums, so this visit was a true revelation. Lots of interesting develop-ments and the latest places to be were confi ded to us. At the same time, the city embraced us with a warmth and beauty like no other. Every visitor is given a warm welcome, whether it's a business traveller or a tourist. Nicolas Vanden Eynden, sales manager of the ICC Ghent describes it perfectly well: ‘The people of Ghent are modest. Their hospitality gives you a good feeling about being in Ghent. Because of the offer and charm of the city, tourists are welcomed with open arms.’ And if there's already one thing I can tell: you just can’t get bored here. The city is waiting to be explored!REPORT NATHALIE REGA
Ghent equals joie de vivre
warehouses are transformed into appealing res-taurants, hotels date back to the renaissance, and medieval festivities and folklore bring tradi-tions back to life. But the rich past of Ghent doesn’t stand on its own. It goes together in perfect harmony with the modern, young and trendy feeling, creating a city that is alive and captivating. The frequent-ly used nickname ‘Medieval Manhattan’ defi nes it well. But the variety of what Ghent has to offer even goes beyond that. For instance, where else can you can fi nd shops selling sixties wallpaper, an artisanal mustard factory or a fl ower festival? Ghent is bursting with cultural life and art. Museums such as the S.M.A.K. present daring in-ternational art collections, whereas the amount of cinemas, theatres and all kinds of cultural activities is impressive. Of course, the people of Ghent are the ones who make it all happen.
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Cover: real raspberry cuberdons of Ghent
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They create a cultural dynamism and a fun atmosphere, while some 60,000 students keep the city young and vibrant.
Events on all sidesGhent is the largest university city in Flan-ders, so there's always something going on early (or late) in the evening. The beauti-fully illuminated night scenery already revealed to us that the city had come to life again. The night-life is pulsating in every corner and includes everything from cultural happenings, and hot clubs to trendy bars. We went to try out a few places ourselves. In the trendy brasserie Café Theatre with its cosmopolitan style and classy bar, you can have an aperitif while you're waiting to go to the opera. The young and cosy Hot Club de Gand, is an ideal spot if you wish to see live jazz performances in an attractive setting. Defi nitely hot! And if you don’t feel like partying, why don’t you have a tea in the trendy and spacious café, het Oeverloze Eiland? In addition to the many places to go out, events and festivities are going on all through the year. Wouldn't it be excel-
lent if they would take place at the same time of your meeting or event? Music lovers will certainly fi nd something to their liking among the many music festivals, while fi lm fans certainly cannot miss the International Film Festival of Ghent. The famous Ghent Festivities of July perfectly refl ect the spirit of Ghent. And in 2010 the Ghent Floralies, a fl ower festival that offers possibilities to corporates, will take place again. It almost becomes diffi cult to miss any of those festivities.
Ghent keeps surprisingWith several projects and investments, the city of Ghent constantly strives to improve city life and attract an international public. In April a crowd of thousands of twirlers and majorettes and their fellow travellers have taken in the city during the World Championship of Baton Twirling. It's no surprise that the sports event took place here: Ghent boasts the only indoor facility in the Benelux: The Topsporthal. Even to people like Annick Debels, who knows the city inside and out, Ghent keeps surpris-ing every day. The city's brand new logo,
consisting of the word Ghent, followed by a double point, marks the soul of the city: a place that has many stories to tell and where people are open minded.
The Burgundian way of living:a gastronomic ambianceIn every way, the city awakens your senses. As an indication, there's the many terraces on the river banks, the numerous cafés around the market squares, and the 300 or so different restaurants. Culinary adventurers will fi nd themselves at the right address here: Restaurants serve outstanding gastronomic delights next to the traditional local kitchen and multicul-tural menus. Be aware that choosing a restaurant will be harder than looking for a good one. With the Korenhuis, restaurant of the Ghent Marriott hotel, the Auberge du Pêcheur outside of Ghent or The Belga Queen, just to name a few, a business diner becomes pure pleasure. An array of specialities makes the gastro-nomic diversity complete. For instance, who hasn’t heard of the Ghent ‘cuber-dons’? The Butcher’s Hall, once a meat
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market, promotes local products from dried hams to local gin, cheeses and cakes. In Chocolatier Van Hoorebeke on the St. Baafs square, two generations dedicate themselves to the traditional fabrication of the most exquisite Belgian chocolates. Just take a peek trough the partly glazed fl oor to discover the craftsmanship with which father and son create those great-tasting chocolates. Does that make your mouth water already? Then try one of the typical local beers in café de Dulle Griet or a jenever in ‘t Dreupelkot. Several of those breweries and local manufacturers open their doors for company visits. And in case you're interested to make your own bread or chocolates, workshops, such as Atelier Plus, provide these possibilities.
Good livingOn a Friday, Saturday or Sunday it’s very likely that you come across one of Ghent’s many markets. And can you imagine a more refreshing way to start the day on a lazy Sunday morning than with a glass of champagne and some Oysters at the Blau-we Kiosk at the Kouter? Afterwards you can continue your way up to the second hand book market at the Ajuinlei, followed by a visit of the Groentenmarkt with its traditional products, and maybe end with gazing upon the curiosa and antiques at the Beverhoutplein. Indeed a pleasant way to pass the day in a different way. A lucky thing everything is at walking distance. Moreover, you won’t get stressed out from cars chasing by. The historic centre has the largest pedestrianised area of Belgium.The presence of the water in the city, with the rivers Lys and Scheldt is another thing that makes the city so very enjoyable. Who doesn’t want to wake up in a hotel
room, such as the Ghent-River-Hotel, and have a marvelous view over the river? Small boats take you to one of the cafés or restaurants on the waterside. The Oude Vismijn (Old Fish Market), at the Lys is just one of those places. For a long time this former industrial building has been liter-ally covered with question marks. But we managed to fi nd out the answers for you; an info-box for tourists has already been set in place. In the future, a multifunctional event hall, and a modern brasserie with a completely glazed terrace will be added. Because it will be possible to open up the terrace near the river, the fi sh market will become the perfect spot to catch a cool breeze on a warm summer evening.
Easy accessGhent’s openness is also shown in its ac-cessibility. Coming from major European cities you can easily reach Ghent by car or coach, using one of the two European high-ways (E 17 and E 40) and Brussels airport is only 45 minutes away. Ghent’s railway station, Gent-Sint-Pieters, has connections to all Belgian cities, and to the European high-speed train network after a transfer in Brussels South or in Lille. The Thalys provides daily direct connections to Paris. Within Ghent itself, the public transport is well organized. Buses and trams take you to wherever you need to be. And in case you want to enter Ghent by car, you only need to follow the parking routes.
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1. Always surprising2. Auberge du Pêcheur
3. Café Theatre 4. Chocolatier Van Hoorebeke
5. Paul Suy - General Manager Ghent Marriott 6. Cuberdons from Ghent
7. t Dreupelkot and Hot Club de Gand 8. Annick Debels, director of Gent Congres
9. Maarten Michels - RoomeR 10. Traditional Mustard
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The new place to be When wandering around here, we soon discovered this neighbourhood revealed much of what is typical for Ghent. You could perfectly call it ‘Ghent in a nutshell’ since it perfectly refl ects the dynamic character of the city. Here too, old and trendy go hand in hand. Paul Suy, general manager of the Ghent Marriott, stated that Onderbergen, with its many little sidestreets, has slowly taken over the role of the Patershol. For a long time The Patershol was the place to be thanks to its unique medieval street pattern that attracted many restaurants and tourists. Onderbergen may not be a tourist attrac-tion, but it certainly shows the true nature of Ghent and its people. New restaurants, decoration stores and arty boutiques have revived the neighbourhood the last couple
of years. The nearby school of Sint Lucas ensures the artistic aspect is not left out and leaves a visible mark on Onderbergen. The many students that come here guar-antee the young look of the street.
Have an aperitif in…You don’t feel like going out for a business dinner right away, but prefer to have an appetizer somewhere fi rst? In Onderber-gen, you can fi nd bars and restaurants that are there only to fulfi ll that wish. For fi ne wine enthusiasts, restaurant and wine bar Vintage is the right spot. A selec-tion of about 300 wines from all over the world has been brought together here, and a creative cuisine accompanies every wine. The warm red walls and the cosy wooden interior make you feel right away at ease in here. Companies and groups
enjoy special formulas that are offered or can choose to organize a tasting. Those who prefer to drink Champagne can enjoy a glass in the modern decor of Cham-pagne bar Chez de Beir, just one step
away from Vintage. Customized arrange-ments can be made for anything ranging from company reception to incentive. And if you don’t feel like going there, you can always let Champagne bar Chez de Beir come to you.
One of the most interesting places we passed through was Onderbergen, a lovely part of Ghent, situ-ated in the centre of the Historic Quarter. It’s a large, recently rebuilt alley starting from the Gothic St. Michael’s Church, leading all the way to the Gebroeders Vandeveldestraat. Along the street, beautiful mansions are standing with pride and the large pathways make it agreeable to stroll along the superb boutiques and restaurants.
Onderbergen
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Onderbergen is Ghent in a nutshell
Trendy restaurantsTrendy restaurants and popular venues make Onderbergen even more attrac-tive. Day restaurant and coffee house het Lepelblad, housed in a stately building on the corner of Onderbergen and the Zwarte Zusterstraat, is a popular place among students and people who work nearby to have lunch. The spaghetti of the student-friendly bistro De Kastart is not your ordinary spaghetti, it's really famous in Ghent, and is appreciated by young and old. Maybe the lovely exterior of Mineral, a façade of little green mosaic stones and fl owers can seduce you into entering in this trendy restaurant. Here they serve vegetar-ian, Belgian and Mediterranean dishes in a home-like interior with art-deco infl uences. There's space for groups of 15 to 65 people and special events can take place in the separate theatre hall. One of the trendy res-taurants that certainly cannot be left out is Domestica. We personally went to explore its cuisine and facilities and found that the attractive interior was a perfect match for the stately character of the old mansion. You can choose from different rooms, one being painted black with golden accents and decorated with a majestic chandelier, the other one offering a more romantic setting. Also dining at the outside terrace
on warmer days, and even at the long bar is possible. The gastronomic French cuisine was not of a lesser quality. We were served outstanding refi ned meals in which the pure taste of the products dominated.
Not for dull peopleEveryone who enjoys the pleasure of shop-ping will be delighted to pass an afternoon in Ghent. Everything from big chain stores to small authentic shops and original bou-tiques is there. And Onderbergen forms part of the heart of the shopping area. You just can’t pass through here without noticing all the special stores looking out on the street. Here, the combination of traditional and trendy comes forward very clearly. You can discover architectural book stores and arty boutiques, and fi nd modern design next-door to antique deal-ers and special lamp stores. We went to take a look in one of the more fancy shops, A ce Soir, a clothing and accessories store that characterizes what it's all about in Onderbergen. Inside we were amazed by the range of stylish hats and gloves in all possible shapes and colours, presented with the utmost care. Clearly, the design-ers are passionate about their work. A separate room revealed that you can even have your clothes tailor-made here.
The PandMeeting and congress planners are not left behind in Onderbergen. The beautiful and well-known Pand, owned by the univer-sity, is one of the treasures of the street. The Dominican monastery from the 13th Century is currently used as a cultural and congress centre. It boasts a restaurant, sev-eral conference rooms, museum collections, exhibition rooms, and has its own catering service. Amongst other things, you can ad-mire a wonderful collection of stained glass fragments and an exhibition of full-scale reproductions by Hieronymus Bosch.
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11. Onderbergen is fl ourishing
12. A Ce Soir13. Chez De Beir
and Vintage
14. De Kastart15. Het pand
16. Mineral17. Chez De Beir
the rich past goes in perfect harmony with the modern, young & trendy feeling of Ghent
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The ICC ghentAmidst the greenery, the ICC ghent (In-ternational convention center ghent) lies hidden, but Nicolas Vanden Eynden, sales manager at ICC ghent, was kind enough to show us around. A sea of light bulbs decorating the central hall was one of the fi rst things that caught our attention. Other remarkable features are the amaz-
ing capacity of the whole complex, the fl exibility of the spaces and the nice look of the meetings and exhibition rooms. In comparison to Flanders Expo, which focuses on fairs and big events, you could describe ICC ghent as the Expo’s little brothers, but with its own market niche, as Nicolas Vanden Eynden puts it well. What-ever facility you need for your meeting,
exhibition, party, or show, the ICC ghent is there to take care of you!
A wind of changeOur visit to the ICC ghent learned us that for a short time now, a fresh wind is blow-ing through the congress centre. In the fi rst place, the ICC ghent got itself a new look, inspired by the colours of the earth. The green accents and renewed green logo symbolize the environment-friendly efforts that are made, such as the new arrangements with the public transport organization De Lijn, and energy-saving adjustments. Other investments, meant to upgrade the building’s infrastructure of 1975, are underway. And last but not least, since January 2009 ICC ghent appeals to the services of one of Belgium’s most fa-mous caterers, Gourmet Invent. Those who are thinking about making use of a house caterer no longer need to hesitate. The congress center is well integrated in its surroundings and in the Citadelpark in particular. The huge convention building of ICC ghent is strengthening the bonds with the S.M.A.K., MSK and other artistic initia-tives. So don’t be surprised to notice the people of S.M.A.K. having their lunch in the centre’s lounge, or to see art works bright-ening the grey walls. It's remarkable to see how much the artistic scene exerts an infl uence on the ICC ghent. Lately, one of its side buildings was turned into a small, permanent exhibition space: the CAT, the Centre of Artistic Talent, which has an entrance of its own. The CAT provides the conference centre with art works, thus cre-
The Citadel site is defi nitely worth a visit. The site lies within the so-called Arts Quarter and hides important museums like the S.M.A.K and MSK, and the ICC ghent, one of Belgium’s major congress centres. The list continues with a range of interesting locations such as Het Kuipke, a cycling track known for the six days of Flanders-Ghent, the botanic garden, the old caserne, and so on. All of those are embedded in the beautiful green Citadelpark. Not many people might notice, but this hilly surrounding is home to more than 100 different sorts of trees. At the same time, the park is the largest in Ghent with its 25 hectares. So it should come to no surprise that this extensive area formed the stage for one of the famous world exhibitions in 1913. It led to the construction of the Floraliënhal, where Ghent’s beloved fl owers were exhibited, and inspired the architects of the wonderful houses of the Millionaires Quarter.
Citadelle ma belle
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ating a more pleasant atmosphere within the building (and maybe even art works will show up in the park later on). And it doesn’t end here. For the organization of festivities, the congress centre works to-gether with the local catering industry, and they even invite student groups to make use of their facilities. ICC ghent is getting the image of a modern convention center that keeps pace with the times!
ICC evaluatedThe ICC ghent is the fi rst convention centre in Belgium to be subject to a quotation which can be compared to the Michelin stars for restaurants. Because of the success of the meetings held in the ICC ghent, The Authorized Convention Centre (Het Erkende Congresbedrijf), a Dutch organization, decided to evaluate the convention centre in accordance with their gavel classifi cation. The purpose
is to inform conference organizers and visitors about the price/quality ratio of a specifi c congress centre. The ICC ghent was awarded at least three gavels in the category of accommodation and four in the category of service (with fi ve being the highest possible). Wouldn’t it be interest-ing to see this principle applied to other congress centres as well?
The citadelparkA cultural kilometreSpeaking of a ‘Cultural kilometre’ is an ex-cellent way to refer to the array of superb cultural locations of the Arts Quarter. The cultural axis connects the Citadelpark with the Bijloke site. At the Citadelpark, the S.M.A.K., the Municipal Museum of Con-temporary Art, and the superbly renovated MSK, Museum of Fine Arts, are the 'not to be missed' shrines of culture. On the other side of the kilometre the STAM, the city
museum at the Bijloke site that will open its doors mid 2010, is on the top of the list. But the expositions of the St. Peter’s Abbey can’t be left out of this cultural offer, neither can the ICC ghent, and all the other museums of Ghent. Maybe it’s better
to speak of a cultural marathon, since it would take you days to visit all the art col-lections in the area!
Banding togetherFor the fi rst time in history, The MSK, the SMAK and ICC have combined forces to promote the three entities as a whole.
The Best of Ghent1. Most pleasant city of Flanders
(2005)2. Most authentic historical
destination, according to the National Geographic Traveler Magazine. (2008)
3. Sports city of Flanders in 2011 4. Ghent has the best Marriott
Hotel of Europe and second best in the world. (2009)
5. The University of Ghent is one of the 'Best Places to Work in Academia 2007'. It's ranked 6th in the list of non-American insti-tutions and is the only European university in the top-10. (Survey of the American scientifi c maga-zine, the Scientist)
6. Winner of the international City-People-Light Award in 2004, as best illuminated city.
7. Winner of the Eurocities award 2008 in the category of cooperation.
ICC ghent is strengthening the bonds with the S.M.A.K., MSK and other artistic initiatives
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18. SMAK19. MSK20. ICC ghent21. Bijloke site22. Nicolas Vanden Eynden
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Together they inaugurated the two-yearly festival ‘Citadelle ma belle’, which takes place 25-26 April in both museums as well in the open air. During the festival week-end, organized at the same time as the heritage day, you can enjoy art or partici-pate in workshops. Artistic performances,
DJ-sets and plenty of surprises will be awaiting the visitor, not to mention orches-tras which will be playing in the trees - yes, you've read it right - and buildings that will look as if they're on fi re. For the occasion, the future museum square is constructed and no transport is allowed in the Fernand Scribedreef, the street that separates both museums.
The construction of a real Museum square between the institutions is a project that these institutions have pursued for years. But their patience is rewarded: the open-ing date for the museum square is set for 2012. The square will serve as an open air forum between the buildings, where visi-tors can hang out, meet people and simply enjoy life. The Koningin Astridlaan, start-ing from the Gent-Sint-Pieters railway sta-tion and leading to the Park, will even turn into a sort of 'ramblas', and its surround-ings will be reconstructed. The goal is to transform a couple of alleys between the railway station and the city centre into real boulevards. Ghent is obviously sparing no pains when it comes to creating a pleasant city life! The future of the Floraliënhal is less certain. The impressive monumental palace is located in between the ICC and the S.M.A.K. and since it was built for the world fair in 1913 it has completely lost its purpose. A potential new purpose for the building might be as a central entrance hall for the surrounding institutions.
Perfectly locatedFrom the centre of Ghent and the Gent-Sint-Pieter’s station you can reach the
Citadelpark by foot in ten minutes. Moreo-ver all buses and trams from the railway station pass by the park and since the park is outside the centre, it won’t be a problem to fi nd a parking space. At the nearby Bi-jloke site, it’s even possible to take a boat to the centre, or you could catch a boat from the centre to the St. Peter’s abbey.
Contact: Gent Congres Van Rysselberghedreef 2 bus 3 Citadelpark - 9000 Genttel. +32 (0)9 224 44 95fax +32 (0)9 224 44 [email protected]
In this unique location, you can spend the night in one of the 47 large hotel rooms – of which 13 rooms in the Slot are recently renovated – decorated with respect for tradition, with private bathroom, TV, phone, free wifi , coffee and tea facility, etc.
Or you can spend the night in one of the 13 authentic renovated monastery cells with facilities in the hall way. Inspiring seminars are possible in one of the 13 seminar rooms for 2 up to 250 people. The former ironing rooms have kept their character: antique fl oors and elegant arches create a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
Or a seminar in the house chapel or in the former Sint-Autbertus church where the morning sun comes peeping through the colourful glass windows.
Didactic material is available in all the meeting rooms: screens, overheads, video, TV, beamers, smart board, fl ipcharts with paper and pens, loudness system, etc. as well as free wifi .
Oude Houtlei 56, 9000 Ghentphone 09 269 22 10, fax: 09 269 22 [email protected]
the former Sint-Autbertus church
room in the “Maagden” wing
the former ironing room
the large monastery corridor 4834
Monasterium PoortAckere
In 2012, a real Museum Square
will serve as a forum between
the institutions at the Citadelpark
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Maaltekouter 1BE-9051 Gent
T. +32 (0)9 241 92 11F. +32 (0)9 241 93 [email protected]
No matter how good your event looks on paper, it only begins to take form in the right environment. At Flanders expo you can cut off the piece that you need from the 54.000 m2. Customized to your specifications, complete with a professional team of your choice. In short, Flanders expo can give colour to your event in the way that you want. Big or small, but always grand.
Flanders expo makes room for your success: 54.000 m2 of expo space. Over 140 events and1 million visitors each year. 8 halls with all the required technical facilities. 1 congress and seminar centre. 4 configurable rooms. 3 restaurants. 6.000 parking places.1 website for all info: www.flandersexpo.be
sq. meters, for grand plans
A PERFECTOPPORTUNITY
FOR MEETING HISTORICAL &
TODAY’S GHENT!
Ghent Marriott offers seven different conference rooms for gatherings of all size and stature; totaling more than 4,500-square-feet of easily divided space, for 10 to 200 people.
Ghent Marriott Hotel
Korenlei 10B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Tel. +32(0)9 233 93 93Fax +32(0)9 233 93 94
A HOLE IN ONE
Van Rysselberghedreef 2 bus 1 | Citadelpark, B - 9000 Gent | GREEN PHONE +32 (0)800-92429f. +32 (0)9-242 89 01 | [email protected]
· Flexible and functional spaces that engage your senses· One-stop event coordination making planning simple· Fine food and beverage services setting new standards in event catering
The ICC ghent represents premier conference and convention facilities which are refreshing in every way. It is hard to imagine a better place, as the ICC ghent is situated in Ghent’s Citadelpark, among small lakes and lots of green.
Add unrivalled hospitality and our commitment to being a true green company, and you get the ideal area for your events. Simply choose ICC ghent’s unique setting.
It is all about putting a hole in one!
nationale congres- en vergaderclassificatieHet Erkende Congresbedrijf
www.iccghent.com
ad.ai 3/30/2009 9:54:38 AM
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