Oostakker (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈoːstˌɑkər] ⓘ; formerly spelled Oostacker) is a sub-municipality of the city of Ghent located in the province of East Flanders, Flemish Region, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1977. In 1872, Sint-Amandsberg was detached from Oostakker. In 1900, 1920 and 1927, parts of the original municipality were already annexed to Ghent.[1] On 1 January 1977, the municipality of Oostakker was merged into Ghent.[2]

The hamlet is mainly known for the Shrine of Oostakker, a Roman Catholic shrine of the Virgin Mary. Residents of Oostakker are called Oostakkezen.

Shrine of Oostakker

Main article: Oostakker Basilica

The miraculous shrine of the Blessed Virgin is a place of pilgrimage from Belgium, the Netherlands and Northern France. It is a comparatively recent, dating from 1873 dating from a statue in a grotto built by the local gentry family.[3] It was first opened to the local peasants on Sundays, but comparatively quickly it became very popular with a large Gothic church starting to be built in 1877. The shrine was entrusted to the Jesuits.

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References

  1. ^ "Gent - 19de- en 20ste-eeuwse stadsuitbreiding". inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be (in Dutch). 1975-06-01. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  2. ^ "LISTE ALPHABETIQUE DES COMMUNES - Fusions de 1963 à 1977" (PDF).
  3. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Shrine of Oostacker" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

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