Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse, Ghent
The Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse is an elegant 18th-century h么tel particulier located in Veldstraat, Ghent. Constructed between 1768 and 1773, this grand townhouse was designed by Jan Baptist Simoens, who is credited with the building's rear facade and the "salle 脿 l'italienne." The main facade, possibly designed by David 't Kindt, though without archival confirmation, showcases a mix of Louis XV style with Baroque and Rococo elements, featuring a protruding central section adorned with Corinthian half-pilasters and a segment arch pediment.
The building's irregular shape is due to its construction on plots of older houses, maximizing space between neighboring structures. Instead of a central entrance, access is through a carriageway at one end of the facade, leading to a garden-facing enfilade. The vestibule, parallel to the facade, connects to interlinked rooms forming another enfilade, with discreet passageways for staff. The rear facade, in neoclassical Louis XVI style, features three sections with pilasters and a pediment and faces a courtyard with a Louis XVI-style terrace from 1773.
Historically, the building was a hub for nobility in the early 19th century and notably served as the residence of King Louis XVIII during his exile in 1815. He held court there and, in gratitude, presented his host with a porcelain dessert service, now displayed in the Ghent City Museum (STAM).
Despite its grandeur, the hotel fell into disuse in the 20th century and briefly housed the unsuccessful Museum of the Hundred Days in 1949. The City of Ghent acquired the property in 1981, using it initially as an information center and later as the Monuments Management Service. Although a thorough renovation was completed in the 1990s, public access remained limited until 2015, when the ground floor was opened for commercial activities.
The interior of the Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse is richly decorated, featuring paintings by notable artists such as Petrus Norbertus van Reysschoot and Peter Paul Rubens, along with copies of works by Jan Brueghel the Elder. The building's design, historical significance, and art collection make it a notable example of 18th-century architecture in Ghent.
The building's irregular shape is due to its construction on plots of older houses, maximizing space between neighboring structures. Instead of a central entrance, access is through a carriageway at one end of the facade, leading to a garden-facing enfilade. The vestibule, parallel to the facade, connects to interlinked rooms forming another enfilade, with discreet passageways for staff. The rear facade, in neoclassical Louis XVI style, features three sections with pilasters and a pediment and faces a courtyard with a Louis XVI-style terrace from 1773.
Historically, the building was a hub for nobility in the early 19th century and notably served as the residence of King Louis XVIII during his exile in 1815. He held court there and, in gratitude, presented his host with a porcelain dessert service, now displayed in the Ghent City Museum (STAM).
Despite its grandeur, the hotel fell into disuse in the 20th century and briefly housed the unsuccessful Museum of the Hundred Days in 1949. The City of Ghent acquired the property in 1981, using it initially as an information center and later as the Monuments Management Service. Although a thorough renovation was completed in the 1990s, public access remained limited until 2015, when the ground floor was opened for commercial activities.
The interior of the Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse is richly decorated, featuring paintings by notable artists such as Petrus Norbertus van Reysschoot and Peter Paul Rubens, along with copies of works by Jan Brueghel the Elder. The building's design, historical significance, and art collection make it a notable example of 18th-century architecture in Ghent.
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Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse on Map
Sight Name: Hotel d'Hane-Steenhuyse
Sight Location: Ghent, Belgium (See walking tours in Ghent)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Ghent, Belgium (See walking tours in Ghent)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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
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
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