Originally a tiny fishing village on the eastern end of an island situated between a beach lake and the North Sea, its name derives precisely from its location, oost-einde, meaning literally ‘east end.’ With time, the settlement evolved into an important port and became a city in its own right in 1265. The population of Ostende has always been dependent upon the sea and fishing for survival; however, at times the sea was also a source of threat. With the North Sea coastline becoming increasingly unstable, in 1395 Ostende’s residents decided to relocate their town further away from the coast, behind large dikes.

Due to its strategic location, Ostende often faced turbulent times and occupation by various foreign powers struggling to establish control over the seas. As a result, the city was often stormed and destroyed by conquering armies. One of the most destructive events of this kind was the 1601-04 Siege of Ostende by the Spanish Army, a prolonged battle that claimed over 80,000 dead and wounded on both sides.

In the 19th Century, Ostend rose to prominence thanks to the opening of a passenger sea crossing service to Dover and construction of a railway link to Brussels. It received a further boost when Kings Leopold I and II chose it as their favourite holiday resort, which directly led to Ostende becoming a popular haunt for aristocratic travellers from all over the country and Europe. Magnificent villas and monuments were springing up along the coast, and it was at that time that Ostende earned its nickname of the Queen of the Belgian Coast. Today, it’s popular especially among fans of windsurfing and kite-surfing, as wind is never in short supply on the North Sea coast.