Out and about with Goetghebuer

Pierre Jacques Goetghebuer (February 26, 1788 – May 19, 1866) was a collector from Ghent who amassed a collection of more than 4,250 prints, maps, photographs, and coins, all of which share a common theme: his hometown of Ghent. Goetghebuer studied architecture at the Ghent Academy, but rarely practiced the profession; only a handful of buildings bear traces of his design. After producing his most famous book, "Choix des Monuments et Edifices les plus remarquables du royaume des Pays-Bas" between 1817 and 1827, he devoted himself primarily to expanding and cataloging his collection, which was widely known and very accessible. Throughout this walk, the voice of the 19th-century architect-collector himself echoes: wherever possible, he recounts in his own inimitable way the story of his beloved city and its timeless monuments.