122 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp264–6 and pp288–91
Brick clocktower of the Onze Lieve
Vrouw Bezoekingskerk, Lissewege
Displays of the North Sea’s natural treasures at the NoordseeaquariumOostende 7
30 km (18 miles) W of Bruges. Road
Map A1. * 69,000. ~ £ @
g v n Monacoplein 2; (059)- _ Bal du Rat Morte (Sat,
early Mar). http://www.toerisme-
oostende.be
Set in the middle of the
Belgian coast, Oostende is
an attractive, modern seaside
resort as well as an active
fishing and ferry port. It was
favoured by royalty and the
ruling classes in the late 19th
century, and equipped itself
with a kursaal (casino) and
racecourse to complement
their elegant villas. Summer
holiday-makers arrive for the
sand beaches and the seafront
promenade, but visitors come
all year round for the seafood.
Oostende also has a strong
line in art. The Provinciaal
Museum voor Moderne Kunst
(PMMK) contains a good col-
lection of Belgian art including
work by Symbolists such as
Léon Spilliaert, Surrealists such
as Magritte and Delvaux and
by artists of the St-Martens-
Latem school. The artist most
associated with Oostende is
James Ensor (see p23). His
home, the James Ensorhuis,
with its reconstruction of his
parents’ novelty shop explains
his influences and vision.
The town’s connection with
the sea is reflected in the
Mercator Marine Museum,
which is located on the three-
masted training ship Mercator
built in 1932; while what lies
under the North Sea is shown
at the Noordseeaquarium.
Oostende’s location made it
strategically important in war
time. Vivid reminders of thisare seen at Fort Napoleon, a
muscular pen tagonal fortress
built in 1811 among the dunes
to the east of the town. To the
west is the Openluchtmuseum
Atlantikwall, with 2 km
(1 mile) of tunnels, trenches
and defences that show how
the occupying German forces
armed the coast against inva-
sion during the World Wars.Environs
At Jabekke, 16 km (10 miles)
southeast of Oostende, the
home and studio of Constant
Permeke, one of St-Martens-
Latem School of Art’s leading
figures, has been made the
Provinciaal Museum Constant
Permeke. This exhibits 150
of the artist’s paintings,
drawings and sculptures.P James Ensorhuis
Vlaanderenstraat 27. Tel (059)
Wed–Mon. &
E Mercator Marine Museum
Mercatordok. Tel (059) 517010.
daily. & http://www.zeilschip-
mercator.be
E Noordseeaquarium
Visserskaai. Tel (059) 500876.
Apr–Sep: daily; Oct–Mar: Sat,
Sun and public holidays. & 7
P Fort Napoleon
Vuurtorenweg. Tel (059) 320048.
Apr–Oct: Tue–Sun; Nov–Mar:
Wed–Sun. & 7 0 - =
http://www.fortnapoleon.be
E Openluchtmuseum
Atlantikwall
Provinciaal Domein Raversijde,
Nieuwpoortsesteenweg 636.
Tel (059) 702285. # Apr–Nov.
& http://www.west-vlaanderen.be
E Provinciaal Museum
Constant Permeke
Gistelse Steenweg 341, Jabbeke.
Tel (050) 811288. # Tue–Sun. &
Lissewege 6
8 km (5 miles) N of Bruges. Road
Map B1. * 2,500. £ @ n VVV
Lissewege-Bezoekerscentrum, Oude
Pastoriestraat 5; (050) 552955.
http://www.lissewege.be
The white, flower-bedecked
cottages nestling around its
church and lining its canal
have earned Lissewege a
reputation as one of the pret-
tiest villages in Flanders. The
handsome church, the Onze
Lieve Vrouw Bezoekingskerk,
was built between 1225 and
1275 in Scheldt Gothic style,
using local red brick and blue
Tournai stone shipped in via
the River Scheldt. Its tower
rises to a height of 49 m
(162 ft) and offers good views
over the village and polders.
In the 12th century, land was
donated in Lissewege to the
Benedictines. Their Ter Doest
abbey – a branch of the Ter
Duinen abbey of Koksijde –
flourished here until 1571,
when it was destroyed by
Protestant rebels. Virtually all
that remains is the medieval
Abbey Barn, located 1 km
(half a mile) south of the vil-
lage. This Gothic brick struc-
ture supported by oak beams
is set in peaceful countryside.
The neighbouring 16th-century
farm is now the restaurant,
Hof Ter Doest (see p291).
P Onze Lieve Vrouw
Bezoekingskerk and
Abbey Barn
# 10am–5pm daily.