Holiday apartment in Oostburg – Nature, history and special places

Oostburg is ideal for a trip that combines natural landscapes, local history and distinctive places. The Het Groote Gat nature reserve borders Oostburg; there, creek landscapes meet opportunities for birdwatching. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Oostburg, you can combine nature observation, culture and activities in the town in this way.

Holiday apartment in Oostburg between nature and local history

The town’s history dates back to around 941: at that time, Oostburg was associated with a list of possessions belonging to Ghent’s Sint-Pietersabdij under the name “castrum Osburgh”. From the 10th century onwards, Oostburg developed into a thriving port town. The town had access to the sea via a branch of the Zwin and to the Scheldt. This development continues to shape Oostburg’s historic character today.

History, reconstruction and places of remembrance

Oostburg was bombed and completely destroyed in September and October 1944. After the war, the town was rebuilt in what is known as reconstruction architecture. An important place of remembrance is the Switchback War Museum on the edge of the town centre. The site of today’s Sint-Elooikerk also looks back on almost 2,000 years of religious history.

Individual buildings also tell stories from different periods. The Ledeltheater building dates back to a church founded in 1689 by Huguenots who had come to West Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. A concrete relief on the façade of the Ledeltheater depicts the theatre’s activities. This allows you to combine a town walk with architecture, theatre history and the religious past.

Het Groote Gat: landscape, observation and cycling route

Het Groote Gat is particularly distinctive for those interested in nature and history. Forts from the Eighty Years’ War, belonging to the Staats-Spaanse Linies, are still visible in the area today. Het Groote Gat consists of a large creek surrounded by reed beds, shrubs, hedges, pollarded willows and wet grassland. The combination of water, wet meadows and historical traces makes this natural area varied.

Het Groote Gat has a freely accessible birdwatching hide. From the Kaas en Broodsedijk, the area can be crossed via a footbridge. The “Route door Zeeuws-Vlaanderen” cycling route also passes through Het Groote Gat on its way to Oostburg. For a holiday apartment in Oostburg, this combination is appealing if you would like to combine cycling days, observation and exploring the town.

Weekly market, views and distinctive landmarks

In the heart of Oostburg, the weekly market takes place every Wednesday from 08:00 to 16:00 on the Markt and Ledelplein. The Watertoren Oostburg is 55 metres high and the highest viewpoint in West Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. The artwork “De Druppels” by Johnny Beerens is located at the Watertoren; the municipality of Oostburg commissioned it in 1995.

Places of remembrance include the Eenhoorn monument and the war memorial. The Eenhoorn monument was designed in 1952 by Mrs Messer-Heijbroek; the unicorn symbolises the courage and mental strength to rebuild Oostburg time and again after destruction. The war memorial is an abstract stainless-steel sculpture on a natural-stone base. The names and ages of 140 victims are listed on its four sides; it commemorates the bombing of Oostburg in October 1944.

The de Eenhoorn indoor swimming pool has a 25-metre pool with six competition lanes. During the day, it mainly offered recreational swimming, school swimming, swimming lessons and activities such as MBVO (more exercise for older people). When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house in Oostburg, you can use your preferred mix of nature, history, market, exercise and places of remembrance as your criterion.

More places for planning your trip

To compare other destinations, you can also view Waterlandkerkje, Hoofdplaat, Nieuwvliet-Bad, Sint Kruis, Cadzand, Retranchement, Zuidzande and Nieuwvliet.

For the higher-level travel overview: Sluis.