The Gravensteen's a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the count' in Dutch. History The present castle was built in 1180 by count Philip of Alsace and was modelled after the crusaders castles the count encountered while he participated in the second crusade. Before its construction, there stood a wooden castle on the same location, presumably built in the ninth century. The castle served as the seat of the Counts of Flanders until they abandoned it in th… (More on Gravensteen)