BibliothecairErfgoed.be launches the Digital Heritage Library
Ontdek de Digitale Erfgoedbib met handschriften, oude drukken en erfgoedparels uit de collectie van de Boekentoren.
Collection
Fascinating facts and articles about the expansive collections in the Boekentoren.
Permanent exhibition
The new permanent exhibition in the Boekentoren offers a unique insight into the history, workings and vast collections of the University Library. Through a display featuring visual flipbooks, a scale model and heritage artefacts in the display cases, you can discover the story behind this iconic building, as well as the library’s operations and heritage..
Gandavensia expanded: donation of Michiel Hendryckx collection
The donated photo archive of photographer Michiel Hendryckx, including physical and future digital collections, is preserved by the Book Tower and systematically made available online under an open licence (CC-BY-SA) for research purposes.
'Taadscapsuules' in Ghent dialect to be archived for ten years
Vier 'Taadscapsuules' met Gents dialect gaan tijdens de Week van het Gents voor tien jaar vier verschillende Gentse archieven in.
From Restoration to Heritage: Robbrecht and Daem Architects’ Archive Moves to the Boekentoren
Robbrecht and Daem Architects entrust their archive to Ghent’s iconic Boekentoren.
Project ‘Glashelder’: how AI assists in metadating 62.000 photographic plates
Glashelder is een onderzoeksproject dat kunstmatige intelligentie (AI) gebruikt om 61.000 gedigitaliseerde glasplaten te beschrijven en te ontsluiten voor het publiek. Het project onderzoekt hoe AI-technieken effectief kunnen worden ingezet in een erfgoedcontext, waarbij de samenwerking tussen mens en machine centraal staat.
Heritage in motion - The HILO 16mm collection in the Boekentoren
This documentary tells the story of the archive (1960-1990) of the laboratory of human movement decomposition. In 2024, the Boekentoren collection was enriched with some 900 16mm films and the accompanying theses from the Institute of Physical Education of Ghent University. The archive offers a unique insight into the scientific study of sport in Ghent.
Ghent sports history in the Boekentoren collection
Heritage Day took place at 2025 on Sunday 27 April. This year the theme was sports and games. We made a selection from our various heritage collections documenting Ghent's diverse sports history. You can find a reference of the presented collection here.
The Liber Floridus
The most famous masterpiece in the collection is the Liber Floridus.
7 mansucripts added to the Masterpieceslist of the Flemish Governement
Seven manuscripts of the Boekentoren have recently been recognized as Flemish masterpieces. These precious, illuminated manuscripts are invaluable to the Flemish cultural heritage. With this new recognition, the Book Tower now has a total of 59 recognized masterpieces.
A temporary home for the busts from the Aula
Due to the renovation of the Aula, there is a need to house a collection of busts, which now find a temporary home in the Boekentoren.
A world at war: Lovelings war diary 1914-1918
Virginie Loveling was 78 when World War I broke out. From day one, she kept a diary as a curious, opinionated witness. After her death, the manuscript, along with other ego documents, was deposited in the Ghent University Library. The war diary was recognised as a Flemish Masterpiece and is one of the 52 masterpieces in our heritage collection.
#thestoryofFlanders
Tom Waes, together with historians, archeologists and other experts takes us back to our past in the documentary 'Het verhaal van Vlaanderen'. Episode three focuses on the dark Middle Ages and brings one of the masterpieces of our collection into the spotlight.
820 unique Medieval manuscripts reunited
With the launch of mmmonk.be, a digital platform, we provide access to 820 Medieval manuscripts from the abbey of Sint-Baafs, Sint-Pieters (Ghent), Ten Duinen (Koksijde) and Ter Doest (Lissewege).
The magic of photographic plates
The Boekentoren chose to participate in an unique project: the digitization of more than 170.000 glass plates, safeguarded at different heritage organisations in Flanders.