Koksijde Essentials

Koksijde combines medieval history with 20th-century artistic and architectural innovation. This coastal town is home to the 12th-century ruins of the Cistercian Ten Duinen Abbey and the modernist Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Duinenkerk, known as the Cathedral of Light. Art enthusiasts can explore surrealist works at the Paul Delvaux Museum, while the 18th-century Zuid-Abdijmolen windmill and the Keunekapel offer glimpses into regional heritage. The landscape is defined by protected dune systems and vantage points like the Oosthoekduintop.

Ten Duinen Abbey

Ten Duinen Abbey or the Abbey of the Dunes was a Cistercian monastery at Koksijde in what is now Belgium.

Paul Delvaux Museum

The Paul Delvaux Museum is a private museum in Saint-Idesbald, Belgium, devoted to the life and works of the painter Paul Delvaux.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Duinenkerk

Known as the 'Cathedral of Light,' this modernist 1960s church features a striking concrete and glass design by Jozef Lantsoght, intended to evoke the surrounding sand dunes.

Zuid-Abdijmolen

An 18th-century wooden post mill originally from Houtem. It was relocated near the Abbey of the Dunes in the 1950s and remains a functional example of traditional Flemish milling.

Keunekapel

A 1906 chapel built in a regional cottage style. Located in the dunes of Saint-Idesbald, this protected monument now serves as a local exhibition and cultural space.

Sint-Niklaaskerk

A Catholic parish church in Oostduinkerke, rebuilt in a modern brick style following the destruction of the original building during World War II.

Sint-Pieterskerk

A neo-Gothic Catholic church located in the historic center of Koksijde-Dorp, characterized by its traditional Flemish red-brick architecture.

Oosthoekduintop

A high vantage point providing panoramic views across the Oosthoek dunes and the surrounding Flemish coastal landscape.

Zouaven

A memorial monument dedicated to the French Zouave soldiers who were stationed and fought in this coastal sector during World War I.