Sights Resort Ostend in Belgium
Ostend is a large port city, as well as a popular holiday destination. It is located on the coast of the North Sea, approximately twenty-five kilometers west from the city of Bruges. In previous times, in this place there was a summer residence of the Belgian yard, because of which Ostend was called "the king of the cities of the coast." The royal villa was built here at the beginning of the nineteenth century - it was under the domination of the first Belgian monarch Leopold first - today it is converted to a schikary hotel - a restaurant.
In the present time, the monarch family is only in the city only during business visits. Simultaneously with this Ostend - a working city - a port, where there is a passenger and fishing bay. In Ostend, English ferries also arrive.
Ostend - a serious financial and cultural center in which approximately seventy thousand people live. The name of the city is translated as "East Krai". This is explained by the fact that he was in the east of the island of Testerp. Later it dropped the level of the sea, as a result of which the island and large land became one of the whole, but the name of the city was stored in the title of the city when it was not so.
The first settlements were founded here in the ninth - tenth centuries. Here lived animals who were engaged in breeding sheep, as well as fishermen. In 814, in these places, the abbey of Saint-Berntine was founded. In the 1267th, the settlement received urban rights and status, but there were no protective fortifications or walls, but the fair was allowed in the city. After two decades, the city entered into an agreement with Bruges, as a result of which the tidal canal was expanded and it was opened for ships.
Port in Ostend:
In the summer season, the city is manit from tourists thanks to its wide beaches. The bathing season lasts here in the June period - the end of September, at the other time the main pastime for tourists is walking around the local attractions.
In the second half of the twentieth century, a branch of tourism developed in Ostend, a large number of cultural events occurred here. Although the story did not save Ostend, partly the city still managed to preserve his historical face. One of the most ancient buildings is Spanish house . He was built in 1741 - m. Earlier, at this place was the laundry room, later the room was converted to the store with children's toys. In the middle of the last century, all the vintage buildings were removed, but the Spanish house thanks to some kind of miracle remained. For a long time "safely" forgotten, and later the construction was redeemed by municipal authorities. Later - in 2001 - in the Spanish house held work on restoration, and in our time he gained fame as the most beautiful monument in Ostend monument and even a city symbol.
Spanish house:
Among urban notable places should be specified Petropavlovsk Church (Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk) , which was built in the style of neoatics at the end of the nineteenth - the beginning of the twentieth centuries. The first Belgian Queen is buried in this place - Louise Maria Orleanskaya. Church towers have a height of seventy-two meters. It is compared with the most famous temple buildings in Europe - notre - ladies in Paris, the Cologne Cathedral and Vienna (Vienna. The history of the Petropavlovsk Church began with a sad event - a fire of a more ancient church, which was previously here. This happened in 1896. Only the brick tower remained from that construction. The construction of a new building was initiated by King Leopold second, and he took so Ryano to work that he even fell suspicion of arson in the previous one. Unique stained glass windows that were in the Petropavlovsk Church were destroyed during periods of wars. Those we can observe today made later. You can see the Belgian kings and queens, and, by itself, of course, Saints Peter and Paul. Curious is the fact that the western facade of the structure has directed towards the East, and not the West, as it should be. It was intended to ensure that people who arrive in the city port could contemplate a wonderful entrance to the church. Also, attention should be paid Capuchin Churches (Kapucijnenkerk) which was founded at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
Petropavlovsk Church:
Those tourists who love ships, it is recommended to visit Three-machent sailboat "Mercator" (Mercato R), which officers of the Belgian fleet used for training in the middle of the last century. This museum on the water works on the following schedule: in January - April, as well as in November - December - from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 16:30. In the periods May - June and September - October - 10:00 - 12:30 and 14:00 - 17:30. In July and August, the museum works from 10:00 to 17:30. For the entrance it will be necessary to pay four euros, for children from fourteen to sixteen years old - two euros, for those who are less than six years old - the input is free.
Historical Museum In Ostend, it works on the following schedule: 10:00 - 17:00, in the middle of June - mid-September, and also on Saturdays. The museum is always closed for visits on Tuesdays. For the entrance charges at two euros, teenagers from fourteen to eighteen are paying one euro. The entrance for children under fourteen years is free.
Along the line of the coastal dam are located Venetian and royal galleries . These buildings were erected at the beginning of the twentieth century according to the order of King Leopold Second. Nowadays they are used as premises for exhibitions.
In the sixties of the last century on the sea coast, a high-rise resident building was built Residentie europacentrum . This multi-storey, having a hundred three meters in height and has thirty-five floors - the highest city building, as well as the highest in Western Flanders. Before the thirty-fourth floor there was a cafe from which a wonderful city landscape was opened, but it was closed for security reasons - it happened in 1996. By the way, many citizens believe that buildings like Residentie Europacentrum spoil the harmony of species in the old town.