Why Oudenaarde is a nice city to stay

The industrial town of Oudenaarde has become famous for many things besides industry in recent times. We are famous for our decades of brewing and for creating some of the most famous tapestries in the world. Our Town Hall is one of the most beautiful and interesting in the world. The city is located in the East Flanders region, on the Scheldt River and is often referred to as the pearl of the Flemish Ardennes. Book a stay in Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde and enjoy a fantastic visit to the city with your friends or family. Book our lowest available rates on our website for the best value guaranteed.

Textiles in Oudenaarde

The city was founded around the eleventh century when the Count of Flanders, Baldwin IV the Bearded, built a fortress. Over the centuries, the weaving industry developed in the city, which contributed to the expansion and enrichment of Oudenaarde. The 15-18^th centuries were particularly profitable in the textile industry with the peak coming in the 16th century. The tapestries they created were extraordinary, in both size, history, colour and detail. You can still view many of these fantastic pieces in the Cloth Hall, within the Town Hall museum. Beer and textiles remain the main products of Oudenaarde.

Brewing and Beer tasting in Oudenaarde

Oudenaarde and the wider Flanders area have always been known for great beer and breweries. The combination of brewing tradition stretching back over centuries and the passion displayed by today’s brewers in their search for the perfect beer have made Oudenaarde the home of exceptional beers. Today, there are 4 breweries in Oudenaarde still in operation: Roman, Liefmans, Cnudde and Smisje. You’ll find something new and exciting in each of them, including typical dark and cherry beers which are definitely worth a try. We would highly recommend including a visit to one of the local breweries in your Oudenaarde Itinerary. Read our blog for more information.

Visit the Town Hall

Oudenaarde has one of the most beautiful and surprising Town Halls in Belgium (maybe even the world!). The beautiful town hall with a bell tower and the church of St. Walburga was built by architect Hendrik van Pede between 1526–1537 to replace the medieval Schepenhuis that occupied the same site and incorporated another older structure the 14th-century Cloth Hall to the rear. The building was designed and completed in the Brabant Gothic style and is the centrepiece of the town. Above the arcaded vaulted ceiling, there is a richly decorated façade with ogival windows separated by niches which, though designed to contain statues, stand empty. There are three terraces atop the central belfry with various intricate design features. The building doubles as a museum focused on the history of the Flemish Ardennes, with several floors, one dedicated to tapestries, one dedicated to various silverware and one that has rotating exhibitions. It contains several wonderfully decorated rooms with gothic fireplaces, wall paintings and works of the Flemish masters from the school of Adrien Brouwer. To the rear, you can visit the 14th-century cloth hall dedicated to the art and history of tapestries that Oudenaarde became famous for.

Beguinage Oudenaarde

Did you know Oudenaarde has its own secret garden? Similar to many Flemish cities, the beguinage is a safe haven for lay religious women who lived in a community without taking vows or retiring from the world. The red Baroque gate on Achterburg leads to two beautiful gardens, thirty whitewashed houses and a small religious building. Formerly, they were thought of as a city in a city with its own bakery, brewery, nurses’ house and church. Beguinage Oudenaarde is an oasis of peace, with many small gardens full of various flowers and plants; a place where time stops. Originally the Beguinage in Oudenaarde was located behind the church of St. Walburga before it moved to its current location in Begijnhof. Visiting Oudenaarde is sure to be a highlight of your trip to Belgium. Book a stay in our modern, comfortable Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde and experience the Oudenaarde that the guidebooks don’t write about. Contact our team or visit our website for the best value rates. We look forward to welcoming you.