Groot Vleeshuis

Description

The "Groot Vleeshuis" is a gothic building constructed between 1408 and 1417 in Gent (Oost-Vlaanderen), Belgium. It served as a covered market and guild hall for the city's butchers. The sale of meat was centralized in such halls during the Middle Ages to regulate quality and pricing, prohibiting home sales. Before the current stone structure, a wooden meat hall existed on the same site, with records dating back to 1251. By the early 15th century, this wooden building had deteriorated, leading to the commissioning of a new edifice by city architect Gillis de Suttere in 1407. Between 1446 and 1448, the building was extended to include a chapel dedicated to Saint Hubert. In 1543, sixteen "penshuisjes" (small shops) were added for selling animal by-products and poultry. The building remained in use as a meat hall until the late 19th century.