ROYAL GALLERIES

It's hard not to be impressed by the columns of the Galeries Royales on the beachfront This majestic colonnade linked the Royal Villa to the Wellington racecourse. Wanted by King Leopold II, who was particularly fond of going there, they were built between 1902 and 1906 in the neo-classical style that flourished at the time. Designed by French architect Charles Girault, creator of the Grand Palais in Paris, they are around 400 m long, each ending in a pavilion. For many years, the king and his guests would stroll through the park, sheltered from the sun or rain, to the racecourse. It was the place to see and be seen!

The floor mosaics, pairs of Tuscan-capital columns grouped on a bluestone base, are perfectly cut and magnificent. Their base is adorned with a toric ring, while a frieze decorated with triglyphs and a cornice with moldings adorn the heights. But its original appearance included wrought-iron grilles separating the columns, which were melted down during the First World War. Its destiny was decidedly thwarted, as the Galeries Royales were walled up along their entire length during the Second World War by the Germans, becoming a strategic point on the Atlantic Wall.

The Thermae Palace Hotel. King Leopold II didn't stop at the galleries. He had the idea of building a "Thermae Palace". This was built after his death, in pure Art Deco style, to plans by French architects Flegenheimer, Bard and Garella, in collaboration with Ostend architect André Daniels. The complex included a spa section (hammam, mud bath, massage rooms, swimming pool and hotel), making Ostend one of Europe's premier seaside resorts, combining mineral and seawater. In 1933, the majestic Thermae Palace Hotel was solemnly inaugurated by King Albert ^I and Queen Elisabeth. The venue also relied on its 18 meeting rooms to attract the crowds. But the decadence of the 1980s meant that it closed, until a timid renovation in the 1990s. Having fallen into disrepair, it has just been renovated from top to bottom and reopened to the public. If you can't afford to stay there, we recommend a visit for a coffee or a bite to eat on the outdoor terrace in the colonnaded gallery (although rooms are affordable out of season). It's one of the most exclusive spots on the coast.