Did you know that the Bijloke site was the centre of healthcare in Ghent for more than 750 years? Today, it is the beating cultural heart of Ghent. The Maria hospital moved from the city centre to the Bijlokemeersen pastures in the 13th century. Later, an abbey for Cistercian nuns was established next to the Bijloke hospital.  This long history of healthcare on the Bijloke site came to an end in 1982. Since then, the site has transformed into a campus for culture, art and education, where architecture and the cohesion of the site are central.

KASK School of Arts & HOGENT music school, Bijloke Music Centre and Ghent City Museum (STAM) are a few of the many organisations that find their home at this unique site today. The gardens literally connect the different cultural organisations at the Bijloke site.