# Timeline of Ghent

The following is a timeline of the history of the municipality of Ghent, Belgium.

## Prior to 19th century

Part of a series on the :
History of Belgium :
PrehistoryNeolithic flint mines of Spiennes 4300–2200 BC :
Ancient Belgae, Eburones & Treveri ~51 BC Gallic Wars 58–50 BC • Ambiorix's revolt 54–53 BC Roman rule 51 BC–c.500 AD :
Early Middle Ages Franks   Merovingians 481–751 Carolingians 751–987 Prince-Bishopric of Liège 980–1789 :
Middle Ages Franco-Flemish War 1297–1305 Burgundian rule 1384–1482 • Wars of Liège 1465–68 Habsburg rule 1482–1556 :
Early Modern Northern Renaissance 15th–16th century Spanish rule 1556–1714 • Seventeen Provinces 1549–81 • Dutch Revolt 1568–1648 • Southern Netherlands Austrian rule 1714–93 • Brabant Revolution 1789–90 • Liège Revolution 1789–91 French rule 1793–1815 :
19th century Dutch rule 1815–30 Belgian Revolution 1830–31 Reign of Leopold I 1831–65 • Treaty of London1839 Reign of Leopold II 1865–1909 • School War 1879–84 • Congo Free State 1885–1908 :
20th and 21st centuries Belgian Congo1908–60 Reign of Albert I1909–34 World War I1914–18 • Invasion1914 • Atrocities1914 • German occupation1914–18 Ruanda-Urundi1922–62 Reign of Leopold III1934–51 World War II 1940–45 • Invasion 1940 • German occupation1940–44 • Holocaust1941–44 Royal Question1944–50 Reign of Baudouin1951–93 Reign of Albert II1993–2013 Reign of Philippe 2013~ :
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vte :
* 941 - Origins of the crypt of what became St Bavo's Cathedral.
* 1274/1300 - Origins of the choir of what became St Bavo's Cathedral.
* 1336 - Tapestry-weavers' guild established.
* 1380
** Belfry of Ghent built.
** Public clock installed (approximate date).
* 1432 - Artist Van Eyck paints altarpiece for St. John's Church.
* 1448 - "De Fonteine" chamber of rhetoric constituted.
* 1480 - Saint Michael's Church built.
* 1483 - Printing press in operation.
* 1531 - St Bavo's Cathedral built.
* 1559 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Ghent established.
* 1576 - Pacification of Ghent signed - an alliance of the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands.
* 1584 - Spaniards in power.
* 1667 - The oldest Belgian newspaper, the Gazet van Gent was founded.
* 1714 - Formed part of the Austrian Netherlands.
* 1771 - Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Ghent) active.
* 1794 - Became the capital of the French department of the Scheldt.

## 19th century

* 1814 - Treaty of Ghent signed between the US and the UK.
* 1817 - Ghent University established by William I of the Netherlands.
* 1827 - Ghent–Terneuzen Canal built.
* 1833 - Archaeological Museum (Ghent) [nl] founded.
* 1835 - Royal Conservatory of Ghent founded.
* 1841 - Bank of Flanders established.
* 1845 - Population: 105,711.
* 1861 - Gent-Dampoort railway station opens.
* 1863 - Statue of Jacob van Artevelde erected in Friday Market Square [nl].
* 1866/1867 - A serious outbreak of cholera.
* 1874 - Horse-drawn tram begins operating.
* 1875 - Station Gent-Oost [nl] opens.
* 1879 - De Gentenaar [nl] newspaper begins publication.
* 1880
** Coöperatieve Maatschappij Vooruit [nl] (cooperative) founded.
** Population: 131,431.
* 1881 - Bank of Ghent established.
* 1883 - Royal Sport Nautique de Gand rowing club formed.
* 1891 - Het Volk newspaper begins publication.
* 1895 - Emile Braun becomes mayor.
* 1897 - Cluysen - Ter Donck Regatta begins.
* 1900
** Ghent system of unemployment benefits introduced.
** K.A.A. Gent football club formed.

## 20th century

* 1902 - Ghent University Botanic Garden [nl] established.
* 1904
** Electric tram begins operating.
** Population: 162,482.
* 1912 - Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station and Patria Cinema open.
* 1913 - Exposition universelle et internationale (1913) held in city.
* 1914 - Vooruit built.
* 1919 - Population: 165,655.
* 1920 - Jules Ottenstadion (stadium) built.
* 1930 - Population: 170,358.
* 1942 - Ghent University Library Book Tower built.
* 1947 - Emile Claeys [nl] becomes mayor.
* 1959 - Ghent University Hospital opens.
* 1965 - Section of Mendonk becomes part of Ghent.
* 1970
** Studio Skoop (cinema) opens.
** Population: 148,860.
* 1973 - Gentbrugge railway station built.
* 1975 - Station Gent-Zeehaven [nl] opens.
* 1976 - Mariakerke becomes part of Ghent.
* 1977 - Gentbrugge becomes part of city.
* 1980
** Amsab-Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis [nl] founded.
** Population: 241,695.
* 1981 - Decascoop (cinema) built.
* 1987 - Flanders Expo arena built.
* 1995 - Hogeschool Gent (college) established.

## 21st century

* 2006 - Project Gent-Sint-Pieters [nl] begins.
* 2007 - Daniël Termont becomes mayor.
* 2010 - Ghent City Museum opens.
* 2012 - Arteveldetoren [nl] hi-rise built.
* 2013
** Ghelamco Arena opens.
** Population: 248,242.
* 2014 - Virginie Lovelinggebouw [nl] built.
* 2020 - Ghent University Museum opens.