Gildenhuis van de Vrije Schippers

The Gildenhuis van de Vrije Schippers stands out with its tall, stepped gable featuring small, arched windows and ornate stone carvings. This guildhall served as the headquarters for the Free Skippers, the powerful water transport union that controlled shipping on the Lys and Scheldt rivers for centuries. In fifteen thirty, they commissioned this structure to show their wealth. The master stonemason used limestone to carve intricate scenes of ships and saints directly into the facade, marking the guild's authority over local trade.