20 of the most beautiful places to visit in Belgium

Saint Bavo’s Cathedral and the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

The most stolen piece of art in the world resides in Ghent’s Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, its rightful home ever since Jan van Eyck and lesser-known brother Hubert created it in 1432. More commonly referred to as the Ghent Altarpiece, the 12-panel polyptych has survived a tumultuous eight centuries. Seen as the first great painting that kick-started the Renaissance, the work was taken by Napoleon’s troops, commandeered by Nazis, recovered from salt mines by the Monuments Men, and at one point sold by a duplicitous priest.