Oostkamp
Oostkamp Rivierbeek
Oostkamp Rivierbeek
Flag of Oostkamp
Coat of arms of Oostkamp
Location of Oostkamp
Map
Oostkamp is located in Belgium
Oostkamp
Oostkamp
Location in Belgium
Location of Oostkamp in West Flanders
Coordinates: 51°09′N 03°14′E / 51.150°N 3.233°E / 51.150; 3.233
Country Belgium
CommunityFlemish Community
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceWest Flanders
ArrondissementBruges
Government
 • MayorJan de Keyser [nl] (CD&V)
 • Governing party/iesCD&V
Area
 • Total80.13 km2 (30.94 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total23,580
 • Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
Postal codes
8020
NIS code
31022
Area codes050
Websitewww.oostkamp.be

Oostkamp (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈoːstkɑmp]; West Flemish: Ôostkamp) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Hertsberge, Oostkamp proper, Ruddervoorde and Waardamme. On January 1, 2019, Oostkamp had a total population of 23,698. The total area is 79.65 km² which gives a population density of 289 inhabitants per km².

History

The name Oostkamp comes from the Medieval name "Orscamp", meaning place of the horses. The old word ors is a cognate of the English word horse.

Oostkamp during World War II

The Canadian 4th Armoured Division liberated the village on 8 September 1944 (World War II) during the Battle of Moerbrugge. A monument was erected by the Ghent-Bruges Canal to honour the 53 Canadian casualties.

Fusion of 1977

With the Belgian Unity Law the four villages of Oostkamp proper, Hertsberge, Ruddervoorde and Waardamme became the municipality of Greater Oostkamp.

Landmarks and Monuments

Churches

Sint-Pieterskerk

OostCampus

OostCampus, City hall and Civic Centre (Siemenslaan 8, 8020 Oostkamp)

In 2012, all the different municipal services which had been accommodated over the years in a scattered collection of facilities, moved to a new complex: 'OostCampus'. On March 9, 2017, the mayor and the chairman of the Social Services (OCMW) also moved from their former site in 'Beukenpark' to OostCampus, which is now effectively the City Hall and Civic Centre of Oostkamp.

The building, designed by Spanish architect Carlos Arroyo, has received important awards, such as:

Kastelen: Castles, Châteaux and Mansions

Kasteel De Cellen
Kasteel Kevergem
Kasteel Pecsteen in Ruddervoorde

Oostkamp has about twenty outstanding examples of Kasteel (plural kastelen), meaning castles, châteaux and mansions. These were erected as 'countryside retreats' of 'leisure houses' by the nobles and merchants of the area, many of them with permanent abodes in nearby Bruges. Most kastelen are private property and therefore not to be visited. Many are visible from the public road.[6]

Oostkamp

Ruddervoorde

Waardamme

Hertsberge

Moerbrugge

Sister cities

References

  1. ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. ^ Vlaams Bouwmeester Archived September 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Prijs Bouwmeester 2013
  3. ^ Business Insider 65 best New Buildings 2012
  4. ^ Holcim Awards Europe 2011
  5. ^ "OostCampus at the Venice Biennale". HLN.
  6. ^ "Castles and Mansions". Oostkamp City Website.