Ghent started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe with some 60,000 people in 1300 AD, 70,000 in 1400 growing to 175,000 Shortly after 1500 AD. Today it is a busy city with a port and a university.  With 240,191 inhabitants in the beginning of 2009 Ghent is Belgium’s second largest municipality by number of inhabitants.  Ghent is beautiful, it seems it has more stuff to see then Bruges.

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