‘I’ll show them who’s boss’: that’s what Philip of Alsace had in mind. So he had the imposing castle rebuilt (1180). Overlooking the city from its battlements high up on the keep, one can sense the feeling of wealth and power that the lord of the castle must have had. The BBC drama series "The White Queen" used the inside of the castle squares for some scenes and the outside view of the castle with the moat was shown in some short overall views (with some computer modifications to erase moderns influences). In 1885 the city of Ghent bought the castle and started a renovation project. The newly built houses were removed and the walls and dungeon were restored to their original condition.

This renovation has been the subject of discussion. People[who?] argue whether the castle can still be considered authentic. Despite these discussions, the Gravensteen attracts huge numbers of tourists.

The castle has been repaired enough to allow people to travel through it and climb on top. It is still partly surrounded by the moat. Inside is a museum with various torture devices (and a guillotine) that were historically used in Ghent.