Gasholders
Industrial heritage
Restoration of two rare telescopic gasholders, safeguarding Ghent’s industrial heritage while anchoring it within a contemporary urban redevelopment.
Along Gasmeterlaan in Ghent, two of the five gasholders of the former city gasworks (1883–1945) remain preserved in situ. These telescopic structures consist of a brick basin with an earthen embankment, containing an outer metal ring and an inner metal bell. As gas is introduced, the bell rises along a vertical guide system and, depending on the volume, continues upward together with the outer ring. Water within the basin, combined with the seal between bell and ring, functions as a gas lock, preventing leakage.
Learn more about city gas supply and its storage at the Industry Museum's website.
