The city of Gent (Ghent), located on the confluence of the rivers Schelde and Leie, was one of the most important cities in Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries.
During this period, cloth production with wool imported from England, in particular Lincolnshire, was one of the most important economic activities in the city and became an export article which was sold on all the major West European markets and the Near East.
The masterpiece painting 'The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' by Jan van Eyck is located in the Cathedral of Saint Baaf.