In 2023, the Castle of the Counts (Gravensteen) and the Belfry, topped by its famous golden dragon, were Ghent’s two main tourist attractions, attracting over 458,000 and nearly 157,000 visitors respectively.
Visitor numbers to the castle increased by 17% compared to 2022, with the Belfry seeing a 25% increase.
Overall, it was a strong year for all of Ghent’s museums and historical houses. Together, they welcomed a total of 1,364,746 people, moving towards the record levels of 2019 after years partly disrupted by coronavirus-related measures.
At the Castle of the Counts, a medieval fortress in the heart of the city, almost a quarter of the visitors were from Belgium, followed by the Netherlands (14%), France (10%), Spain (8%) and the United States (8%).
Saint Nicholas Church and belfry, Sunday 19 April 2020, in Ghent. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
When it comes to museums, the most popular was the Museum of Fine Arts (the MSK), which, at 225 years old, claims to be Belgium’s oldest museum. Last year, 123,747 people passed through its doors, an increase of over a quarter compared to 2022.
The City Museum (the STAM) saw a spectacular increase in the number of visits (+58%), reaching 70,065 visitors.
The city suggests the rainier than usual weather in July and August may have played a part.
