Oostkamp is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Hertsberge, Oostkamp proper, Ruddervoorde and Waardamme. On January 1, 2019, Oostkamp had a total population of . The total area is 79.65 km² which gives a population density of 289 inhabitants per km².
History
The name Oostkamp comes from the Medieval name "Orscamp", meaning place of the horses. The old word ors is a cognate of the English word horse.
In 2012, all the different municipal services which had been accommodated over the years in a scattered collection of facilities, moved to a new complex: 'OostCampus'. On March 9, 2017, the mayor and the chairman of the Social Services also moved from their former site in 'Beukenpark' to OostCampus, which is now effectively the City Hall and Civic Centre of Oostkamp. The building, designed by Spanish architect Carlos Arroyo, has received important awards, such as:
Gold Prijs Bouwmeester 2013 awarded by the Government of Flanders, in the category 'Renovation'.
Archdaily's 65 best new buildings in the world 2012
Holcim Silver Award for Sustainable Construction in Europe 2011
Oostkamp has about twenty outstanding examples of Kasteel, meaning castles, châteaux and mansions. These were erected as 'countryside retreats' of 'leisure houses' by the nobles and merchants of the area, many of them with permanent abodes in nearby Bruges. Most kastelen are private property and therefore not to be visited. Many are visible from the public road.
Oostkamp
Kasteel Gruuthuse, initially inhabited in the 13th century by the Gruuthuse family, now by the counts d'Ursel.
Kasteel de Breidels, inhabited by baron Albert Peers de Nieuwburgh.
Kasteel Newburgh, inhabited by the baron Snoy.
Kasteel Schoonhove, inhabited by baron Rotsart de Hertaing.
Kasteel Kevergem, inhabited by lady Lucie de Schietere de Lophem.
Kasteel de Herten, built by Baron van der Plancken, purchased by the Global Estate Group in 2012
Kasteel de Cellen, built by knight de Bie de Westvoorde, now the premises of an insurance company
Kasteel Macieberg, built by the family Arents de Beerteghem, now decorated as the Freinetschool Ivy
Kasteel Beukenpark, built by the family Beaucourt de Noortvelde, until 2017 an administrative center of the municipality of Oostkamp
Villa 't Valkennest, built by the family Kervyn de Meerendré, now a youth centre.
Kasteel Cruydenhove, now the restaurant and reception rooms for the Van der Valk hotel.
Ruddervoorde
Kasteel Pecsteen, inhabited by Baron Pecsteen.
Kasteel Raepenburg, inhabited by the family d'Udekem d'Acoz.
Kasteel Sint-Hubertus, built by the family van Outryve d'Ydewalle, now inhabited by the Knights de Schietere de Lophem.
Kasteel Lakenbos also Rood Kasteel, built by Knight Eugène-Augustin van Outryve d'Ydewalle, notorious for the murder of his son-in-law Jhr. Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz.
Kasteel De Akker, built by Jhr. Adhémar de Thibault de Boesinghe and Emma van Outryve d'Ydewalle.
Kasteel Doeveren, built by the family de Thibault de Boesinghe, later the property of families Arents de Beerteghem and Janssens de Bisthoven.
Kasteel Zorgvliet, built by marquis de Croester and later the property of Paul van Caloen de Basseghem. The castle was burned during a thunderstorm.
Landhuis Leegendael, built by Knight Guy de Schietere de Lophem, now a Bed and Breakfast.
Waardamme
Kasteel de Woesten, built by the family Peers de Nieuwburgh and later owned by the family Mahieu-De Witte.
Kasteel Rooiveld, built in the 15th century as a hunting lodge by the family de Melgar de Breydelaere de Sporkinshove. Later inhabited by the family Janssens de Bisthoven
Hertsberge
Kasteel van Hertsberge, built and inhabited by the family of baron Rapaert de Grass.
Moerbrugge
Blauw Kasteel, is a protected medieval castle and probably the oldest preserved castle of Oostkamp. Previously owned by marquis Paolo Arconati-Visconti, the family Peers de Nieuwburgh bought the castle in 1979. In 2000, they sold the castle to the current owners who started a thorough restoration campaign.
