Historic downtown

From this spot, the view of the city's historic center is perfect. You find yourself in front of the Vleeshuis, a building where lending has become the main activity today, as it houses the city's public library. Before the French Revolution, it was different. At that time, craftsmen and trade guilds sold their goods there for hard cash.

It is impossible not to notice the church of St. Walburge. Its 88-meter-high tower dominates the city's skyline for miles around. Construction began in the first half of the 12th century. Today, only the choir made of Tournai limestone remains from the first church in primitive Gothic style.

Until 1894, the belfry, which rings out every Sunday, was located a few hundred meters away, in the belfry tower of the Town Hall. This magnificent building in Brabantine Gothic style overlooks the Grand Place. According to the famous 19th-century French author Victor Hugo, there is no detail in this fantastic building that is not worth contemplating. This is also the view of UNESCO, which placed the belfry tower of Audenaerde on the World Heritage list in 1999.

At the top of the belfry tower sits the symbol of Audenaerde: the guardian of the city, Hanske de Krijger. One fine day, in the mid-16th century, Hanske had fallen asleep after drinking too many pints of Audenaerde beer. This turned out to be a bad decision because it prevented him from seeing the arrival of Emperor Charlemagne. According to legend, the emperor then forced Audenaerde to place glasses on its coat of arms from that point on.

Stad Oudenaarde