Ghent is an old medieval city that has long been overshadowed by Bruges, but holds many attractions for the visitor and has the advantage of having far fewer tourists. It was once the heart of the cloth trade and the largest medieval city in Europe after Paris. Today the old centre has many historic buildings including St Bavo's Cathedral, the Castle of the Counts, a turreted castle with a moat, a bell tower for great views, the Town Hall and the 15th-century Cloth Hall.