Castle of the Counts hosts Perseverance until 11 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 00:26 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Castle of the Counts in Ghent is hosting the Perseverance art installation through 11 October 2026. The inflatable sculpture by the collective zweintopf forms part of a democracy exhibition connected with the reopening of the renovated Design Museum on 3 October 2026.
Perseverance remains beside the Castle of the Counts until 11 October
The sculpture refers to student protest on Tiananmen Square in China and is titled Perseverance, with Goddess of Democracy given as its full title. It stands outside the castle as one of two installations linked to the exhibition, alongside a permanently closed kiosk on the Korenlei. VRT NWS reports the installation dates.
The report states that the works remain in place until 11 October 2026. The sculpture was not yet fully inflated when the report was published on 28 September, but the installation itself was already identified at the Castle of the Counts. Its position gives the exhibition an outdoor element beside one of Ghent most recognisable historic buildings.
How the democracy exhibition meets a medieval fortress
The outdoor sculpture is part of an exhibition about democracy organised around the Design Museum reopening. Inside the museum, the programme is called Democracy Workout. Visitors encounter tasks and exercises about active listening, compromise and dealing with conflict, while the kiosk and sculpture provide two stops outside the museum.
This arrangement places a contemporary work about protest beside a fortress whose history is closely tied to authority, justice and imprisonment. The link is specific to the 2026 programme: the castle is not presented as the exhibition venue, but as the setting for one of its public installations. The Ghent visitor authority identifies the castle as a medieval monument with a moat and largely intact defensive system.
The Castle of the Counts brings twelve-century history to the event
The present stone fortress was built in 1180 under Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Its central tower is 30 metres high, and the surrounding wall includes 24 watchtowers. Earlier wooden structures stood on the site before the stone castle took shape.
The building served as an administrative centre and law court before later uses included a prison and a textile factory. Ghent City Council and the Belgian government bought the site back in stages at the end of the nineteenth century. Architect Jozef De Waele then led a romantic restoration, and the castle opened to the public from 1907. These layers make the outdoor installation more than a backdrop: a work about public protest is positioned beside a fortress that once represented comital power. The custodian records the castle history.
Visiting the Castle of the Counts: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Perseverance installation is at the Castle of the Counts in Ghent and remains there through 11 October 2026.
- The sculpture is an outdoor stop connected with the Design Museum democracy exhibition; the wider Democracy Workout takes place inside the museum.
- The castle stands at Sint-Veerleplein 11 in central Ghent, beside the River Lys. The venue is listed as a castle with a moat and a largely intact defensive system.
- Visitors should expect narrow tower stairs, high rooms, corridors and battlements within the medieval fortress.
- Dutch, French and German are official languages of Belgium, and the currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Castle of the Counts
When does Perseverance take place at the Castle of the Counts?
The outdoor installation remains beside the castle through 11 October 2026. It is linked to the democracy exhibition accompanying the Design Museum reopening on 3 October 2026.
What is the Castle of the Counts?
It is a medieval stone fortress in central Ghent, built in 1180 under Philip of Alsace. The castle has a moat, a central tower and 24 watchtowers.
Where is the Castle of the Counts and how do you get there?
The castle is at Sint-Veerleplein 11 in Ghent, beside the River Lys. It stands in the city centre and is listed by the local visitor authority as a monument and building.
