Oostkerke

Oostkerke is a village and deelgemeente of Diksmuide in West Flanders, Belgium. It is part of the Flemish Region and lies within the municipality of Diksmuide, to the west of the town centre. The name Oostkerke, translating as East Church, points to the village's historical origins around a local church that once formed a central point for the community.

Historically, Oostkerke developed in the Middle Ages as a rural settlement linked to agriculture and parish life. In the course of the 1977 Belgian municipal reforms, Oostkerke was incorporated into the municipality of Diksmuide and is currently administered as a sub-municipality.

The landscape around Oostkerke is typical of rural West Flanders: flat fields, scattered farms, and drainage channels. The local economy is dominated by agriculture, with residents increasingly commuting to nearby Diksmuide for work and services. The village hosts a small church and some historic houses, and it maintains a quiet, village-scale character amid the surrounding countryside.

During World War I, the broader Yser Front affected the area and nearby sites bear witness to the conflict; memorials and battlefield remnants are found in the Diksmuide region. Public services for Oostkerke are provided by the Diksmuide municipality, including schooling, waste collection, and cultural activities.