 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Oudenaarde" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Oudenaarde | |
|---|---|
City andmunicipality | |
 | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Oudenaarde in East Flanders | |
 Interactive map of Oudenaarde | |
  Oudenaarde Location in Belgium | |
| Coordinates:50°51′N03°36′E / 50.850°N 3.600°E /50.850; 3.600 | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | East Flanders |
| Arrondissement | Oudenaarde |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | John Adam (Open VLD) |
| • Governing parties | Open VLD,CD&V |
| Area | |
• Total | 68.92 km2 (26.61 sq mi) |
| Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 31,866 |
| • Density | 462.4/km2 (1,198/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 9700 |
| NIS code | 45035 |
| Area codes | 055 |
| Website | www.oudenaarde.be |
Oudenaarde (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈʌudənaːrdə]ⓘ;French:Audenarde[odnaʁd]; in English sometimesOudenarde) is aBelgiancity andmunicipality in theFlemishprovince ofEast Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenaarde proper and the towns ofBevere, Edelare,Eine,Ename, Heurne, Leupegem, Mater,Melden, Mullem, Nederename, Volkegem,Welden and a part of Ooike.
From the 15th to the 18th century, but especially in the 16th century, Oudenaarde was known as a centre oftapestry production. The town's name, meaning "old field", still lingers on in "outnal", an obsoleteEnglish term for a kind of brown linen thread.
 | This sectionmay beconfusing or unclear to readers. Please helpclarify the section. There might be a discussion about this onthe talk page.(July 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The history of the current municipality of Oudenaarde starts in 974, whenOtto II, Holy Roman Emperor and king ofGermany, built one of its three fortifications on theScheldt at Ename to protect his kingdom against possible attacks fromFrancia (next to the other frontier post atValenciennes, later in also theMargraviate of Antwerp). Ename grew very fast. By 1005, the town already had a couple of churches and had become the largest town in theDuchy of Lotharingia. In 1034, Ename was destroyed by an irregular army that surrendered the city to CountBaldwin IV. In 1047, the son ofBaldwin V (peacefully) received the imperial fief from the German emperor. The fief was, however, confiscated in 1047 when the Baldwins rebelled against the German empire. In 1062, Baldwin V, together with his wife, founded theBenedictineabbey of Saint Salvator. By that time, the former merchants and guild artisans of Ename easily got across the Scheldt to the recently founded city of Oudenaarde.[2]
In the 11th century, Oudenaarde’s economy flourished, thanks to the proximity of the Scheldt and the burgeoning but vibrant cloth and tapestry industry. Churches, cloisters and hospitals were built. Throughout the Middle Ages, the city was one of the staunchest supporters of the counts ofFlanders, defending them against insurrections from the South and even fromGhent. The city became known as theresidence of the nobles. It built itself a flagshiptown hall (built 1526–1537), which we can still admire today, and the St-Walburga church.Charles V stayed here for a couple of months in 1522 and fathered an illegitimate daughter,Margaret of Parma, who was to become Regent of the Netherlands.
During theReformation, the people of Oudenaarde choseProtestantism and allied themselves with Ghent againstCharles V. In 1582, after a prolonged siege by Margaret's son,Alexander Farnese, the city finally gave in, causing most merchants, workers, and even nobles to flee. Oudenaarde fell under theCounter-Reformation, which for a short while revived the commerce of tapestry. The glory days, however, never came back. The French attacked and took the city three times in less than a century. Fortifications were repeatedly improved in the 16th and 17th centuries, including additions byVauban.[3] In 1708, one of the key battles in theWar of the Spanish Succession, known as theBattle of Oudenaarde, was fought in the vicinity of the city. Oudenaarde slumbered as a provincial town under theHabsburg regime. Like its neighbours, in the 1790s, it suffered religious curtailment imposed by theFrench Revolution.
The city latersuffered damage duringWorld War I, which is commemorated by several monuments scattered around town.
DuringWorld War II the town was occupied by Nazi German forces inMay 1940. The town was liberated byBritish forces on the 5th of September 1944.[4]
Oudenaarde is known for the brewing ofOud bruinbeer, which is sometimes termed Oudenaarde Oud bruin, especially that ofLiefmans Brewery in the town.[5][6]
Oud Bruin (Old Brown), also known as Flanders Brown, is a style of beer originating from theFlemish region ofBelgium. The Dutch name refers to the long aging process, up to a year. It undergoes a secondaryfermentation, which takes several weeks to a month, followed by bottle ageing for several more months. The extended ageing allows residualyeast andbacteria to develop asour flavour characteristic for this style.[7] Usually, cultured yeast and bacteria are used, as stainless steel does not harbour wild organisms as wood does.[8]
Oudenaarde used to have its own newspaper, namelythe Gazette van Audenaerde.
The main football club in Oudenaarde isK.S.V. Oudenaarde.
The celebratedTour of Flanders voor Vrouwen, the women's Tour of Flanders cycle race, starts in Oudenaarde every spring. The men'sTour of Flanders has passed through Oudenaarde on several occasions, finishing in the town since 2012, and it regularly ascends theKoppenberg hill in the municipality. TheKoppenbergcrosscyclo-cross race, which takes place on the Koppenberg hillside, is part of theBPost Bank Trophy.
Rhinos Rugby Oudenaarde is a rugby club in Oudenaarde that was voted the coolest club ofFlanders in 2018.[11]
Coburg, Germany (1972)
Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands (1986)
Castel Madama, Italy (1986)
Arras, France (1990)
Hastings, United Kingdom (1991)
Buzău, Romania (2007)
Places adjacent to Oudenaarde | |
|---|---|
Belgian municipalityOudenaarde | |
|---|---|
| Deelgemeentes | |
| Other settlements | |
| Buildings and sights | |
| Aalst |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Dendermonde | ||
| Eeklo | ||
| Ghent | ||
| Oudenaarde | ||
| Sint-Niklaas | ||
| ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
