City walk

Oudenaarde is often associated with the heart of the Flemish Ardennes. Whether you love nature, culture, delicious regional products or sporting challenges, there’s a startling discovery around every corner. Let’s start with the city’s vibrant heart: the market square. A welcoming place, peppered with restaurants, cafes and inviting terraces.    

The legend of Oudenaarde’s coat of arms

“Nobody in sight”, thought Hanske De Krijger when he was on duty as a city watchman. A little inebriated by the beer the night before, he promptly fell asleep. At that very moment, though, Emperor Charles V came galloping along. His Highness met with a closed gate ... Legend has it that he wanted to punish not only Hanske, but the whole city. The emperor demanded that a pair of spectacles be included in the city's coat of arms, as a lifelong reminder of this lapse. Hence the spectacles in the logo and coat of arms of Oudenaarde. At least, that’s what’s being popularly claimed.    

In the heart of Oudenaarde, you come across buildings in Gothic and Renaissance style, Baroque and Classicism. With more than 100 valuable cultural-historical buildings, the city seems like a patchwork of monuments. And every house has its own chronicle. 

If this has whetted your appetite and you feel like exploring for yourself, Tourism Oudenaarde has a handy city walk ready for you. This brochure is available for EUR 2.5 from the Oudenaarde Tourism Office.