Oudenaarde

A town hall that demands attention

The Grote Markt in Oudenaarde is one of those places where you immediately understand what Brabantine Gothic means. The town hall, built in the early sixteenth century, dominates the square with its slender towers, sculpted facades and the typical wealth of detail that you can isolate beautifully with a longer focal length. With an 85mm or a light telephoto, you can pick out a single bay or an ornament without the surroundings becoming a distraction. Go wider and you will want to play with your position: the square is spacious enough to leave some air around the building.

The light falls on the front facade early in the morning. On a clear day in spring or fall, when the sun is low, the stone takes on a warm, deep color you simply do not see at other times. Arrive too late and the sun is too high, flattening everything out. Overcast conditions work well too: soft shadows, more detail in the relief, less contrast to wrestle with in post-processing.

Around the Tour of Flanders

Oudenaarde is also the finish of the Tour of Flanders, one of the toughest spring cycling classics. The finish line is on the Minderbroedersstraat, close to the city center, but the Grote Markt is traditionally the heart of the festivities. On and around race day, tens of thousands of spectators come to the city. That gives you opportunities for street photography that you rarely get on any other day: flags, faces, tension, waiting. But it is busy, so arrive early. A 35mm or 50mm works more comfortably here than a long telephoto, simply because you are in the middle of the crowd rather than outside it.

The Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen, just off the market square, has a permanent exhibition about the race and is photogenic on the inside as well. Worth adding to your day.

Practical

The easiest place to park is on the edge of the historic city center, for example at the station. From there it is a five-minute walk to the Grote Markt. On race day many streets are closed off, so allow extra time for the walk and check the traffic plans with the city in advance. For regular photography you do not need a permit on the public square, but the usual rules of the city of Oudenaarde apply for commercial commissioned work.

Sources and further reading

• Stad Oudenaarde
• Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen
• Onroerend Erfgoed – Stadhuis Oudenaarde
• Wikipedia – Stadhuis van Oudenaarde