Unique Altar Painting
Before the Covid pandemic, tourists from many parts of the world flocked here to admire the masterpiece; about 1.3 million people annually, according to the website visit.gent.be. So, the Saint Bavo Cathedral had a… replica of the artwork made and placed it in a chapel. The tour guide must take the visitors here, explain the artwork, and then lead them to admire the original. Now you can also view and gather information beforehand through a website.
It is a masterpiece, so it needs to be elaborated on. According to the records, this is a type of altar with 24 floral paintings framed like panels. Viewers will be able to see two different scenes, depending on whether it is open or closed—similar to the wooden folding screens in Vietnamese homes.
When opened, the upper part of the altar will be seen, glowing in red with the image of Christ the King in the center, flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist. On their right and left are angels singing; on the outer panels are Adam and Eve. The lower part of the central painting shows some people seemingly drawn to worship and prayer. From above, a source of light shines down, according to the explanation, it is the representative of the Holy Spirit.
On weekdays, the panels are closed. When closed, it displays the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, as well as the portraits of the two benefactors who funded the work: Joost Vijdt and his wife, Lysbette Borluut.
Large altarpieces create a unique characteristic that can only be found in the province of Flanders, Belgium, both solemn and dramatic. The paintings depict many themes, from mythology—in churches—to landscapes, hunters—in palaces… And the colors are always vibrant. The famous painters of this region are Jan Van Eyck, Bruegel the Elder, Van Dyck, and Rubens, who left behind for future generations as many as… 3,000 paintings and sketches.
Next to Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, there stands a watchtower called the Beffroi. But I don’t spend much time here. Because at most, it only takes two hours to reach the top and then come back down. If you’re weak on your feet, you can use the free elevator right from the first floor of the tower.
According to the reading material, the tower was built in the 14th century with a height of 91 meters. In those ancient times until the early 20th century, it functioned as an alarm station when enemy troops appeared. This is also the place where warnings were issued, for example, in case of a fire. Now it has become a “tourist product that rings a bell.”
Beffroi possesses a large bell along with a set of 53 smaller bells. Over the centuries, the large bell, named Klooke Roeland, has been replaced several times.
Early Sunday morning, from the accommodation in the Gand central area, the sound of bells echoed, reminding me of my visits to Hanoi in the 1980s, staying in an inn on Nha Chung Street. Every morning, I heard the bells ringing from the church. For a non-religious person like me, those bells are like an alarm clock; I can’t hit the snooze button, I have to get out of bed immediately to prepare for a new day.
During the Covid pandemic, the friendly notes from the 
