History of Oostduinkerke: from Dunacapella to the shrimp fishers on horseback

Dunacapella, a village behind the dunes (1135 to 1900)

For centuries Oostduinkerke was a quiet farming village, hidden behind a wide belt of dunes.

Dunacapella (1135): in 1135 the village, then still called Dunacapella or dune chapel, first became an independent parish.
Ostdunckercka (1246): the name became Dunckercka, and from 1246 people spoke of Ostdunckercka, to distinguish the village from Dunkirk in France.
An island in the Middle Ages: in the Middle Ages a kind of tidal island stretched here from Dunkirk to Oostduinkerke, with the Dunes Abbey in the middle.
Twenty small farms (1777): on the Ferraris maps of 1777 the village consists of the church, a few houses and some twenty small farms; there was still nothing in the dunes.
The steam tram (1886): in 1886 the steam tram between Ostend and Veurne started running, the first public transport for Oostduinkerke village.

Oostduinkerke is the only place in the world where shrimp are still caught on horseback.

Fishing for a living: until the middle of the 20th century the horseback fishermen caught shrimp along the beach to make a living.
Folklore: today horseback fishing is above all a living tradition, kept up with support from the municipality as a tourist attraction.
Kruiers: alongside them, the kruiers or kruwers still catch shrimp with a trawl net they pull through the water themselves.
UNESCO (2013): after recognition as Flemish heritage, the horseback fishermen were inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in December 2013.
The fisheries museum: the National Fisheries Museum, now NAVIGO, was founded in the first half of the 20th century, rebuilt from 2004 to 2009 and reopened completely renewed in 2024.
Folklore evenings: in summer, craftspeople show old crafts such as lace making and basket weaving on Friday evenings in the museum courtyard.

At the start of the 20th century a new seaside resort rose by the sea, separate from the old village.

Building land in the dunes (1899): in 1899 wealthy people from Bruges founded the Société civile des dunes d'Oostduinkerke et Coxyde, which prepared the dunes for building.
The first hotels: the resort began with two hotels, of which Hotel Gauquié survived the longest.
Artists and sand yachts: tourism really took off after the First World War; the writer Felix Timmermans holidayed here, artists met at the Hotel des Dunes, and sporty visitors came for the international sand yacht race.
The Coastal Tram (1926): in 1926 the coastal tram reached Oostduinkerke-Bad, electric from 1929, and that line still runs as the Coastal Tram.
The Zomerkapel: between the world wars the white Zomerkapel or summer chapel was built for holidaymakers, in the style of the whitewashed fishermen's cottages.
Hannecartbos: the Hannecartbos, some 48 hectares, was planted in the 1920s by the Hannecart family for hunting.
Louis Artan: in the municipal cemetery stands the gravestone of the painter Louis Artan, designed by Victor Horta.

The Second World War also left deep scars in Oostduinkerke, after which the village got a modern church and a new place within Koksijde.

May 1940: during the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940 British soldiers fell here; they rest in the British military cemetery of Oostduinkerke.
The old church destroyed: the old church of Oostduinkerke was destroyed in 1940, and in 1941 the occupiers abolished most tram lines.
Sint-Niklaaskerk (1952 to 1956): architect Jean Gilson built the modern brick Sint-Niklaaskerk, with a 36 metre tower and a 13.5 metre terracotta figure of Christ by Josef Arnost Gause.
Nieuwpoort-Bad (1949): in 1949 Nieuwpoort-Bad, which lay on the territory of Oostduinkerke, passed to Nieuwpoort.
Merger (1971 and 1977): in 1971 Oostduinkerke merged with Wulpen, and in 1977 both became part of the municipality of Koksijde.
The Strandbad: the modernist open air pool on the promenade, now the Strandbad Oostduinkerke, is part of the local heritage.

The dunes on both sides of the Leopold II-laan, which links the village with the resort, are now protected nature.

Natura 2000: all the dune areas of Oostduinkerke are protected at European level as part of the Natura 2000 area of the coastal dunes.
Ter Yde: east of the Leopold II-laan lie the dunes of Ter Yde, one of the large dune areas of the West Coast.
Oostvoorduinen: the Oostvoorduinen form one large dune area together with Ter Yde and the Hannecartbos.
Witte Burg: the Witte Burg nature area is an offshoot of the Doornpanne, west of the village.
Simliduinen: on the Groenendijk side lie the Simliduinen.
Groenendijk water tower: from the Groenendijk water tower you look out over the dunes and the sea.

Along the Leopold II-laan you walk from the old village to the sea and on through the dunes.

NAVIGO: start at the National Fisheries Museum in the village.
Sint-Niklaaskerk: see the modern Sint-Niklaaskerk with the large figure of Christ on its tower.
Zomerkapel: walk to the white Zomerkapel near the resort.
Strandbad: see the modernist Strandbad on the promenade.
Horseback fishermen: in season, watch the shrimp fishers on horseback on the beach.
Ter Yde: finish in the dunes of Ter Yde.
Hannecartbos: walk on through the Hannecartbos.
Further afield: climb the Groenendijk water tower or take the Coastal Tram to Nieuwpoort and De Panne in West Flanders.

Combine most of the places above in a walk of around 4 kilometres, from the village to the sea and the dunes of Ter Yde.