Damme
Encyclopedia
Damme is a municipality
located in the Belgian
province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge (Bruges
). The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the towns of Hoeke
, Lapscheure
, Moerkerke
, Oostkerke, Sijsele
, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had a population of 10,899. The total area is 89.52 km², giving a population density
of 122 inhabitants per km².
In the 13th century, Damme was the port for Bruges, to which it was linked by the river Reie. The river has now been canalised
into the long, straight, treelined and picturesque Damse Vaart, which continues across the Dutch border to Sluis. The line of the town's star-shaped fortifications can still be traced by lines of tall poplar trees and in places by a moat. It was the site of the Battle of Damme
, fought on 30 and 31 May 1213.
Well-known Damme inhabitants include Jacob van Maerlant
, a medieval poet and the town clerk of Damme until his death in around 1300, and Karel Verleye
, co-founder of the Bruges
College of Europe
, who died in Damme in 2002.
, with numerous bookshops and regular book fairs.
The most popular ways of travelling to Damme are by canal boat that runs during the summer high season or all year round by bus or bicycle. The bicycle route is along the canal path taking the same route that the canal boat takes.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge (Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
). The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the towns of Hoeke
Hoeke
Hoeke is a village in Damme, a municipality in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*...
, Lapscheure
Lapscheure
-External links:*...
, Moerkerke
Moerkerke
Moerkerke is a town in the Belgian province West Flanders and a part of the city of Damme-External links:*...
, Oostkerke, Sijsele
Sijsele
-External links:**...
, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had a population of 10,899. The total area is 89.52 km², giving a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 122 inhabitants per km².
In the 13th century, Damme was the port for Bruges, to which it was linked by the river Reie. The river has now been canalised
Ship canal
A ship canal is a canal especially constructed to carry ocean-going ships, as opposed to barges. Ship canals can be enlarged barge canals, canalized or channelized rivers, or canals especially constructed from the start to accommodate ships....
into the long, straight, treelined and picturesque Damse Vaart, which continues across the Dutch border to Sluis. The line of the town's star-shaped fortifications can still be traced by lines of tall poplar trees and in places by a moat. It was the site of the Battle of Damme
Battle of Damme
The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn , at that time in the county of Flanders...
, fought on 30 and 31 May 1213.
Well-known Damme inhabitants include Jacob van Maerlant
Jacob van Maerlant
Jacob van Maerlant was the greatest Flemish poet of the thirteenth century and one of the most important Middle Dutch authors during the Middle Ages.-Biography:...
, a medieval poet and the town clerk of Damme until his death in around 1300, and Karel Verleye
Karel Verleye
Karel Verleye co-founded the College of Europe in Bruges in 1949 with his good friend Hendrik Brugmans.He was a Capuchin friar for 64 years. In 1945 he became philosophy lector at the Bruges seminary. He founded the Ryckevelde Foundation in 1956.-External links:***...
, co-founder of the Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
College of Europe
College of Europe
The College of Europe is an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with the main campus in Bruges, Belgium...
, who died in Damme in 2002.
Location and Tourism
Today, Damme is a popular side trip for tourists who are visiting Bruges and is a popular venue for eating out, and a destination for boat trips. Damme has more recently become known as a book townBook town
A book town is a town or village with a large number of second-hand or antiquarian book shops. These shops, and sometimes also literary festivals, attract bibliophile tourists to them...
, with numerous bookshops and regular book fairs.
The most popular ways of travelling to Damme are by canal boat that runs during the summer high season or all year round by bus or bicycle. The bicycle route is along the canal path taking the same route that the canal boat takes.