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All Belgium Ostend Walraversijde

Walraversijde

Rediscovered in 1992, this abandoned medieval village once flourished by fishing and piracy.

Ostend, Belgium

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
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The reconstructed village of Walraversjide.   JoJan
The reconstructed village of Walraversjide.   JoJan
Foundations of fishermen’s houses.   JoJan
The reconstructed well at the Walraversjide site.   JoJan
A medieval Flemish bedroom.   JoJan
A bakery where hardtacks were made.   JoJan
Inside one of the houses.   Georges Jansoone
Interior.   JoJan
A day in the life in a medieval fishing village.   Georges Jansoone
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About

For several centuries, the village of Walraversijde (also called Raversyde) thrived through fishing and farming. Largely abandoned due to conflicts in the 16th century, it was not rediscovered until 1992. Since then, it has been meticulously studied and partially reconstructed, complete with medieval buildings and a history museum.

According to archaeological evidence, the site had been active since Roman times, but the village is believed to have originated in the early 1200s. The villagers made a living by fishing and trading salted fish, as well as  occasionally engaging in piracy. In 1394, however, Walraversijde was heavily flooded and almost washed away by sand drifts caused by nearby dunes.

The village was rebuilt further inland, growing to include about 100 houses in addition to a chapel, brewery, and a gaming house that also served as a brothel. It remained a fishing village, but retained its centuries-old tradition of piracy. Given permission by the Duke of Burgundy, they participated in privateering expeditions against England, so eagerly that the Duke warned them not to attack ships unless ordered to do so.

Eventually, wars and floods caused the village to decline. By the end of the Siege of Ostend, part of the Eighty Years' War, it had been mostly destroyed. For years, the only visible legacy of the once-thriving village was the chapel's tower, which eventually collapsed during a storm in the mid 1800s.

After its rediscovery, the Walraversijde Museum opened in 2000, along with a reconstructed village containing three medieval houses and a bakery-smokehouse. They were designed to look as they did around 1465. Using bricks excavated at the site, the interiors are based on contemporary Flemish paintings. The museum exhibits several artifacts that display everyday life during the Middle Ages, including fishing tools, household goods, and clothing.

Although overshadowed by nearby World War II fortifications, Walraversijde is the most thoroughly researched medieval fishing community in Europe (as other locations are still inhabited). It's a must-visit for enthusiasts of medieval Europe.

Related Tags

Pirates Villages Fishing History & Culture Archaeology

Know Before You Go

The site closes seasonally for winter, so check the website to verify that it is open.

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Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

December 14, 2020

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Sources
  • https://www.medieval.eu/the-medieval-fishing-village-in-flandernwalraversijde/
  • https://www.raversyde.be/en/anno-1465
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walraversijde
  • https://books.google.com/books?id=M9rn3rZAQBcC&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=Walraversijde&source=bl&ots=FzLUbUPBgn&sig=ACfU3U0_15S0FFiZv_oLH9PNLt4dEQP4LQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTtYeg-8btAhVQpFkKHce5BzwQ6AEwBnoECAgQAg#v=onepage&q=Walraversijde&f=false
Walraversijde
636 Nieuwpoortsesteenweg
Ostend, 8400
Belgium
51.198628, 2.849053
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Nearby Places

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Photo of Ostend

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