Floralias in Ghent, how to visit the floral art exhibition

This year 2016 has a very important event in Ghent, one of the most beautiful and monumental cities in the Flanders region en Belgium.

This is the Floralias, floral art exhibition which is celebrated every five years in the city ​​of Ghent, and which in 2016 is celebrated from April 21 to May 1, which I have had the opportunity to visit.

And I attest that it is a true marvel.

All the flower shows They are very popular in northern European countries such as Belgium or Holland, and they are generally celebrated every few years.

So, for example, I can tell you that in this year 2016 the great flower carpet which from August 12 to 14 covers the Brussels Grand Place, which can be seen every two years.

Or it is also worth mentioning the Flowers which for one month, until May 5, can be seen on the Grand-Bigard castle, riding a Brussels.

Although the previous exhibition was held on the grounds of the Exhibition, this year the Ghent Florals They have been installed in four different areas in one of the city's neighborhoods, which you can access by walking from one to the other along an established route.

The start of the visit takes place at the complex Bijloke, the large venue of an old hospital that dates back to the Middle Ages, and which is now a cultural center where you can find everything from a musical auditorium to the Ghent City Museum, STAM.

In this first enclosure, in several large dome-shaped greenhouses, there are various artistic compositions made with flowers and plants, such as the Bamboo walk or the azalea area, with a presence of works by Japanese artists, and where there is no shortage of an area dedicated to bonsai.

On your visit to Floralias 2016 you go to the second enclosure, the old one Leopold military barracks, a building that currently houses the Institute of Fine Arts.

In this exhibition area you can see how the large central patio of the venue has been occupied by trees and green areas where various artistic compositions are exhibited and where flowers also play a major role.

From there all the visitors, in a long procession of people, headed to the st peter's square.

In that large open space, and in front of the St. Peter's Church, there is a large green area with flowers and several dome-type greenhouses, where you can find more floral compositions.

The big surprise is when you enter the interior of the church of the Abbey of San Pedro, Middle Ages, where you will see an imposing floral chandelier created by the florist Thomas De Bruyne, which is arranged under the dome of the building.

The play of lights and the flowers that decorate the different corners of the church give a very special atmosphere.

The exhibition also extends through the corridors and several rooms of the cloister of the old abbey.

Finally you must go to the nearby park Citadelpark, where the large pavilion is located that until 30 years ago was the headquarters of the Floralias.

This metal pavilion has been converted into a large garden with green areas, trees and many, many flowers, and where the azalea is the main protagonist.

In short, a true marvel, and I am already waiting for the celebration of the next Ghent Florals that I don't plan to lose.

Photos Floralias Ghent

Here you have more photos of the 2016 Ghent Floralias, a wonderful exhibition of floral art.