Bond Moyson Building, Ghent

The Bond Moyson Building is an iconic structure located on Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market Square) in Ghent. It is part of a grand complex with a monumental fa莽ade that has been a prominent feature of the square for over a century. The complex was designed by architect Ferdinand Dierkens and commissioned by the Belgian socialist politician Edward Anseele. Its architectural inspiration came from the Grands Magasins of Paris, reflecting a blend of styles that embody both aesthetic grandeur and social ideals.

Constructed in two phases, the right wing of the complex, known as Bond Moyson, was completed in 1899, and the left wing, called Volkshuis Ons Huis (People's House Our House), followed in 1902. The fa莽ade of Bond Moyson is particularly notable for its socialist allegorical scenes, crafted by Jules de Bleye. Made from bluestone, the building features a distinctive dome-shaped covering with a Neo-Renaissance "bull's-eye" window. Atop the dome sits a rooster, symbolizing a 鈥渘ew dawn鈥� and the aspiration for an era of equality and happiness for all.

The fa莽ade features a coat of arms with 鈥渢hree eights,鈥� symbolizing the early 20th-century workers' slogan: 鈥淓ight hours of work, eight hours of leisure, and eight hours of rest.鈥� Fluted columns on the first two levels transition into Corinthian pilasters on the third, supporting an entablature with the inscription 鈥淲erklieden Aller Landen Vereenigt U鈥� (Workers of all countries, unite!) in gold. Above it, a cartouche displays 鈥淏ond Moyson鈥� in bold red, flanked by caryatids. The central section, added later, includes a large glazed surface, enhancing its modern appeal. The left-wing, Ons Huis, now serves as the headquarters for East Flanders鈥� socialist workers' associations and is known as the 鈥淪ocialist Building.鈥�

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Sight Name: Bond Moyson Building
Sight Location: Ghent, Belgium (See walking tours in Ghent)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Ghent's Historical Buildings

Walking Tours in Ghent, Belgium

Create Your Own Walk in Ghent

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ghent is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Ghent's Historical Buildings

The medieval city of Ghent is full of wonderful old buildings, some dating back as far as the 12th-13th centuries. Medieval buildings are indeed everywhere here, and if you're interested in the heritage fit to capture you imagination, you will find plenty of it in Ghent鈥檚 historic downtown.

And you won鈥檛 have to look far for the World Heritage worthy of its name either. The Castle of... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Ghent Introduction Walking Tour

Some historians believe "Ghent" comes from the Celtic word, "ganda." "Ganda" meant a confluence, as with two rivers. There are traces of human settlements as far back as the stone age at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Leie in Belgium.

With the Frankish invasions at the end of the 4th century AD, the Celtic language was replaced by Old Dutch and this... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

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