Damme | |
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City andmunicipality | |
.JPG) Damme Town Hall | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Damme  | |
  Damme Location in Belgium Location of Damme inWest Flanders  | |
| Coordinates:51°15′N03°16′E / 51.250°N 3.267°E /51.250; 3.267 | |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province |  West Flanders |
| Arrondissement | Bruges |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joachim Coens (CD&V) |
| • Governing party/ies | CD&V |
| Area | |
• Total | 90.36 km2 (34.89 sq mi) |
| Population (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 11,008 |
| • Density | 120/km2 (320/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 8340 |
| NIS code | 31006 |
| Area codes | 050 |
| Website | www.damme.be |
Damme (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈdɑmə]ⓘ) is acity andmunicipality located in theBelgian province ofWest Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge (Bruges). The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the villages ofHoeke,Lapscheure,Moerkerke,Oostkerke,Sijsele,Vivenkapelle [nl], andSint-Rita [nl]. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had a population of 10,899. The total area is 89.52 km2, giving apopulation density of 122 inhabitants per km2.
In the 13th century, Damme was one of the major ports of Europe and the outlet to the sea for the major trading city of Bruges, to which it was linked by the river Reie. The river has now beencanalised into the long, straight, treelined and picturesque Damse Vaart, which continues across the Dutch border toSluis. The line of the town's star-shaped fortifications can still be traced by lines of tall poplar trees and in places by a moat. It was the site of theBattle of Damme, fought on 30 and 31 May 1213, when an English fleet under the Earl of Salisbury captured scores of French ships and their cargo of gold, silver, wine, bacon and other victuals.[2]
Well-known Damme inhabitants includeJacob van Maerlant, a medieval poet and the town clerk of Damme until his death in around 1300, andKarel Verleye, co-founder of theBrugesCollege of Europe, who died in Damme in 2002.According to Charles de Coster (Charles-Theodore-Henri De Coster. La legende et les aventures heroiques, joyeuses et glorieuses d’Ulenspiegel et de Lamme Goedzak au pays de Flandres et ailleurs), Damme is the birthplace of Till Eulenspiegel
Today, Damme is a popular side trip for tourists who are visiting Bruges and is a popular venue for eating out, and a destination for boat trips. Damme has more recently become known as abook town, with numerous bookshops and regular book fairs.
The most popular ways of traveling to Damme are by canal boat that runs during the summer high season or all year round by bus or bicycle. The bicycle route is along the canal path taking the same route that the canal boat takes.
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Media related toDamme at Wikimedia Commons
Damme travel guide from WikivoyageMembers of theHanseatic League by quarter, and trading posts of the Hanseatic League | ||||
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