Oudenburg Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Oudenburg

Gate of the abbey's farm

Flag	Coat of arms

Oudenburg

Location in Belgium

Country

Flemish Community

Arrondissement

Ostend

Area

• Total

35.38 km² (13.66 sq mi)

Population

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• Total

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Postal codes

8460

Area codes

059

Website

www.oudenburg.be

Oudenburg is a small city and municipality in Belgium. It is located in the province of West Flanders. The municipality includes the city of Oudenburg and the towns of Ettelgem, Roksem, and Westkerke. In 2006, Oudenburg had about 8,929 people living there. The total area is 35.38 square kilometers. This means there were about 252 people per square kilometer.

A long time ago, in the 4th century, the Romans built a fort called a Castellum here. You can still see its original shape in how the city's streets are laid out today. Some of the stones from the old fort walls were later used to build an abbey. The old Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg was started by Arnold of Soissons. Sadly, it was destroyed during the French Revolution.

History of Oudenburg
- The City's Coat of Arms
Notable People from Oudenburg
Gallery
See also

History of Oudenburg

Oudenburg has a rich history that dates back many centuries. Here are some important moments:

1070 AD: Arnold of Soissons founded the Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg. This was a very important religious building.
1087: Arnold of Soissons passed away. He is also known as Arnold of Oudenburg or Saint Arnold.
1226: The city was shown on a special official stamp called a seal. This shows it was an important place.
1843, February 2: The city was officially given its coat of arms.

The City's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Oudenburg shows a castle. Inside the gate of the castle, you can see the smaller shield of the medieval Lords of Oudenburg. The castle is a "canting" element. This means its name, "Burcht" (which means castle), sounds like part of the city's name, "Oudenburg."

The castle first appeared on the city's oldest seal in 1226. All the seals after that also showed a castle. However, its size and shape changed quite a bit over hundreds of years. The small shield inside the gate first appeared in the 16th century.

Notable People from Oudenburg

Many interesting people have come from Oudenburg. Here are a few:

Raphael de Mercatellis: A church official and advisor to the emperor.
Felipe Diricksen: A famous painter from the Baroque period. He mostly painted portraits and religious scenes.
Charles Geleyns: An abbot, who was the head of the Abbey of St. Peter of Oudenburg.
André Gennevoise: An owner of the Abbey of St. Peter of Oudenburg.
Maurits Gysseling: A researcher who studied old languages and writing.
John Cordier: The person who started the company Telindus.