Top 15 Attractions in Oudenaarde, Belgium

In the undulating hills of the Flemish Ardennes, Oudenaarde is a charming town situated along the River Scheldt, historically recognized until the 18th century for its exquisite tapestry production.

Despite the decline of the industry over 300 years ago, the Mou Museum preserves 15 exceptional examples of this craftsmanship housed within the 14th-century cloth hall.

This structure is integrated with a 16th-century Brabantine Gothic town hall, celebrated as one of the most stunning in Belgium.

Oudenaarde also boasts a wealth of historical architecture, reflected in its churches, patrician houses, and long-abandoned monasteries.

The town is equally renowned for hosting the Tour of Flanders, a prestigious one-day cycling race that challenges the world’s elite cyclists on its steep, cobblestone terrains.

1. Stadhuis

Dominating the northern end of the Markt plaza, the town hall is one of the most remarkable examples of civic architecture in the country.

Constructed between 1526 and 1537, it embodies an ornate Brabantine Gothic style.

It is easy to spend several minutes gazing in awe at its intricate facade.

Every section of the exterior features some form of elaborate ornamentation, including blind tracery and decorative niches accented with capitals and pinnacles.

The windows on the first and second floors feature five lights and pointed arches, while the steeply pitched roof includes charming dormers adorned with gilded gables.

Above looms the UNESCO-listed belfry, standing at six stories high.

Crowning the structure, a tribute to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is displayed alongside Oudenaarde’s legendary guardian, Hanske de Krijger (Hans the Warrior), rendered in gold.

The ground floor has a stately arcade featuring pointed arches and exquisitely detailed vegetal capitals.

Adjacent to the town hall, the older 14th-century cloth hall is a testament to Oudenaarde’s wealthy Medieval textile trade.

Currently, it houses the Mou Museum (discussed further next), while the tourist information center is located on the town hall’s ground floor.

2. Mou Museum

The museum located within the cloth hall is a must-visit due to the strength of its collections and engaging, tactile presentations.

Visitors are encouraged to appreciate the 15 magnificent tapestries, woven in Oudenaarde during the 16th and 17th centuries.

For centuries, Oudenaarde served as a significant center for silversmithing, and the stunning Boever-Alligoridès silver collection spans three rooms, offering a comprehensive narrative of this craft throughout Europe until the close of the 18th century.

Moreover, there is an opportunity to explore the works of Oudenaarde painter Adriaen Brouwer (1605-1638), famed for his depictions of lively tavern scenes, alongside insights into the city’s connections with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, his daughter Margaret of Parma, and Louis XIV.

3. Sint-Walburgakerk

Approaching Oudenaarde from the south, the 88-meter tower of the Sint-Walburgakerk becomes visible, dominating the skyline before any other landmark.

The tower, topped with a Baroque slate dome, dates from the 16th and 17th centuries and has housed Oudenaarde’s 49-bell carillon since 1894.

The city’s carillonneur provides concerts every Sunday from 12:00 to 13:00, additionally on Thursdays (10:00-11:00) and during the evenings in July and August (20:30-21:30). Much of the church itself, below the tower, reflects the architecture from the 15th and 16th century when it was redesigned in a Brabant Gothic style; however, the chancel remains a remnant of the original 12th-century structure.

The iconoclasm of the 16th century stripped the church of its Medieval decorations.

Although several damaged grave monuments from that earlier era remain, the richly adorned tapestries, vibrant sculptures, and paintings predominantly belong to the Baroque style, originating from the 17th and 18th centuries.

4. Ronde van Vlaanderen

Spring, typically in early April, marks the occasion for one of the five prestigious “Monuments” of professional road cycling.

The Tour of Flanders is a one-day classic race, predominantly held on challenging cobblestones and centered around Oudenaarde, where the race has concluded annually since 2012. The Ronde van Vlaanderen attracts specialists in cobbled classics.

These cyclists exhibit exceptional versatility, demonstrating both sprint capabilities and the endurance needed for steep climbs, while also employing strategic thinking and fearlessness when confronted with physical competitions and difficult road conditions.

Should you be unable to witness the race firsthand, you can explore the most iconic segments of the route.

Among these is the 77-meter Koppenberg hill, a demanding 600-meter ascent on cobblestones, located to the south of the town.

5. Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen

This attraction in Oudenaarde provides comprehensive information regarding this renowned cycling event, commencing with an engaging 13-minute film that immerses viewers in the experience of racing along the course.

The multimedia exhibition further highlights previous winners, allows you to experience what it is like to ride over cobblestones, and permits you to test your time against two-time winner Peter Van Petegem on the steep Oude Kwaremont road.

Supporters of the race can delve into its rich history through an extensive archive of images, footage, and audio clips.

The walls of the cyclist-friendly cafe are adorned with cycling memorabilia, such as jerseys, posters, and water bottles, while a pro shop offers trail maps, literature, and modern and vintage gear.

6. Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Pamelekerk)

As you stroll along the right bank of the Scheldt, you will encounter a remarkable early Gothic church dating back to the 13th century.

Initiated in 1234, the Pamelekerk was completed within 30 years, resulting in a cohesive Scheldt Gothic architectural style.

The characteristics of this style are evident, including an octagonal tower, ambulatory, triforium, clerestory, and the slender, almost Romanesque three-light windows.

Positioned by the riverbank, you can appreciate the detailed corner turrets of the north transept, also from the 13th century.

Internally, the church is largely neo-Gothic, and open to visitors on weekends from June through September.

7. Begijnhof Oudenaarde

Similar to many cities in Flanders, Oudenaarde features a historic beguinage, which was a community for lay religious women who had made vows but maintained financial independence.

This beguinage is one of 26 in Flanders that are recognized by UNESCO, having been situated at the current location since the 15th century.

The final of Oudenaarde’s beguines passed away in 1960, and visitors are welcome to explore the area during daylight hours.

The entrance to the courtyard is highlighted by a striking Baroque structure featuring an image of Saint Roch, who is invoked against the plague.

The beguines inhabited the whitewashed houses constructed from the 17th to early 20th centuries, while the oldest building on the site is a house from 1500, which was built for a rector who perished in the Scheldt at the hands of the Calvinist Geuzen.

The chapel, destroyed by iconoclasts in 1566, now has a Gothic Revival design.

8. Provinciaal Archeologisch Museum (PAM)

Ename, located a few kilometers downstream on the right bank of the Scheldt, was a key harbor and trading center in the High Middle Ages, positioned at the boundary between the Kingdom of France and the Ottonian Holy Roman Empire.

The region hosts a fascinating archaeological site, detailed further below, while the findings from this site are exhibited at the provincial archaeological museum situated in the 19th-century townhouse, Huis Beernaert.

The displays here are curated with meticulous attention to detail and expertise.

Visitors can explore an interactive timeline illustrating over two millennia of history and hear directly from the numerous historical inhabitants of Ename, including abbots and countesses.

Moreover, insights into the science and technology surrounding modern archaeology are also provided.

9. Sint-Laurentiuskerk

The PAM also manages Ename’s remarkable church, constructed at the turn of the 11th century in an Ottonian architectural style.

This church stands as one of Belgium’s finest examples of Romanesque religious architecture, built with blue-black Tournai limestone.

In the early 1990s, restorations of the 18th-century changes to the tower’s entrance revealed exquisite Byzantine-style frescoes painted 1,000 years prior, which had been concealed behind the organ.

These frescoes are the oldest church illustrations discovered in the Benelux region.

10. Archeologische Site Ename

The archaeological site, located on the right bank of the Scheldt, spans eight hectares and is equipped with informative panels.

Here, visitors can observe the foundations of Ename Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in 1063 and dismantled during the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century.

The abbots were prominent figures, serving as members of the States of Flanders, often discussing political affairs with statesmen in the formal garden, as political discourse was restricted within the monastery.

Adjacent to the monastery, the remains of an Ottonian castle constructed around 974 can also be found. Three-dimensional computer reconstructions of both the abbey and the castle, developed through comprehensive research and archaeological work, can be viewed in a small pavilion beside the site, which is open from April to November.

11. Oudenaarde Breweries

Brewing beer has been a tradition in Oudenaarde for centuries, with Brouwerij Liefmans being among the historic breweries still operational today, tracing its origins back to the 17th century.

Liefmans, located near the Scheldt and preserving its ancient brewing facilities as a living museum, is acclaimed for its cherry-based Kriek-Brut, which is aged for 18 months.

The brewery’s narrative parallels that of Brouwerij Roman, founded in the mid-16th century.

This brewery, located approximately 10 minutes east of Oudenaarde, is celebrated for its Oud Bruin (Flanders Brown) and also produces a tripel (9%) and “Oaked” (10%), a variant matured in sherry and whiskey barrels.

Brouwerij Roman is open for tours during weekdays year-round and on Saturdays from March to October.

12. Abdij Maagdendaele

The Cistercian Maagdendaele Abbey was founded in Pamele in 1234 and emerged as one of the premier women’s monasteries in Flanders.

Despite suffering substantial damage during the wars of Louis XIV and later during the French Revolution, the 13th-century basilica remains intact, accompanied by an elegant L-shaped abbey house constructed in the 1660s.

This structure, made of brick with white sandstone details, adheres to the design principles of the Cistercian order, exhibiting hints of Scheldt Gothic style.

Over the entrance to the east wing is a striking bas-relief depicting Saint Bernard receiving his scapular from Mary.

The complex currently serves as the site for the city archives and the Royal Academy of Art (Koninklijke Academie voor Beeldende Kunst).

13. Huis de Lalaing

Situated on Pamelewijk facing the Scheldt, this elegant patrician house features an 18th-century Rococo façade.

Its intricate stucco moldings, particularly around the pair of kidney-shaped windows on the pediment and the two corbels below the cornice, enhance its charm.

Huis de Lalaing is far older than its exterior suggests, named after Philip de Lalaing, the city governor and Lord of Schorisse, who resided here in the 16th century.

This property is believed to be the birthplace of Margaret of Parma (1522-1586), the illegitimate daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Acquired by the city in 1978, it serves as a multifunctional space that relates to Oudenaarde’s heritage as a center for tapestry production.

Experts are engaged in restoring fine tapestries and carpets whilst also offering workshops and courses to teach weaving techniques.

In the walled garden adjacent to the house, a 160-year-old ginkgo tree flourishes.

14. Liedtspark

For centuries, Oudenaarde was safeguarded by a system of walls and moats, which were redesigned by Louis XIV’s renowned military engineer Vauban in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, a portion of these historical defenses, including a ravelin, was purchased by prominent Liberal politician Charles Liedts (1802-1878). He established a mansion, nestled within an English landscape park.

Upon his death in 1907, Liedts’ son Amédée bequeathed the estate to Oudenaarde, and this six-hectare area boasts expansive lawns, tall mature trees, a fountain, and a modern footbridge spanning the former moat.

The house, built in 1860, still features cartouches emblazoned with Liedts’ English motto, “All for Duty.”

15. Recreatiedomein De Donk

Located on the western edge of Oudenaarde, a substantial pond excavated in the 1960s to supply materials for the N60 dual carriageway invites exploration.

This area served as a site for Medieval fishponds and communal grazing prior to its modern development.

Since the 20th century, the pond has attracted a variety of water sports enthusiasts, including sailors, kayakers, windsurfers, and anglers.

A new cable system for wakeboarding and waterskiing was inaugurated in 2017.

Although swimming is prohibited, sunbathers frequent the grassy banks during warm weather, and a 2.6-kilometer hiking trail winds around the pond’s perimeter.

Along the trail, breathtaking views of the Flemish Ardennes may often be encountered.